The Robin Variable
by Waywatcher
Summary: Things change from one world to another: marriages differ, personalities are slightly changed, and Robin is the greatest wildcard of them all. The tactician often manifests fantastic powers and bizarre quirks, from minor to extreme. One thing remains consistent however: they are always drawn to the Shepherds.
1. Statseer Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **This fic was inspired by another fic called Multiverse by The Right Hand of Light, so credit to them for the general premise of this collection. See that story for a better execution of this general idea.**

 **Starting off tame.**

* * *

"Robin!" Chrom shouts, slicing into the valmese great knight with Falchion. The armored man falls from his horse with a gaping wound in his chest. "How do I stand against Walhart?"

"More speed, less skill, less strength!" He barks, letting fly a thoron. "Less defence and hit points too!"

"Damn." Chrom growls. "I'll need your help then."

"That was the plan."

"But someone needs to deal with those cavaliers!" Chrom protests. He ducks a lance from another great knight and buries Falchion into his shoulder.

"We can one-hit Walhart with a double attack!" Robin replies. "With him out of the way immediately, we won't need help to take out his entourage!"

The blue haired prince grimaces, clearly not liking this plan. "Fine! But for the record I hate this plan!"

"Noted and ignored!" Robin responds curtly. "Let's move! Time to tip the scales of this fight!"

Cursing to himself, Chrom scrambles after his tactician. He ducks axes and lances from the elite valmese cavalry. Behind him, Chrom can still hear the rest of the Shepherds engaged with the main force. The prince would much rather be fighting there than going directly to Walhart, he feels wrong about leaving his friends but Robin insists this is the best plan so Chrom goes anyways.

Robin has lead them through dozens of fights, the prince won't start doubting the man now. Besides, Robin cares about their friends too, he's never lost anyone. He won't start now.

"Walhart has a weapon called Sol." The white-haired man warns as they get close. The conqueror's imposing red figure is visible even behind the wall of metal that is his entourage. "That's why we need to defeat him before he can attack, or else Sol will heal him!"

"Right." Chrom nods. "You leading?"

"Always!" The man replies. "On three! One!"

"Two!" The prince calls, pulling away from another great knight and preparing to jump.

"Three!" Robin roars, launching a beam of lightning from his thoron tome. Chrom pushes off the ground, jumping high into the air over Walhart's bodyguards. Falchion shines with divine light as the prince calls on his royal blood.

"Ather!" Chrom yells, coming down hard on the man's head with his blade. He just barely misses the sword swing Walhart gives in reply, Chrom falling hard to the ground as it happens, and the prince launches the usual follow-up attack smiling with grim satisfaction as Falchion leeches energy from his foe and knocks him from his saddle with a gash across his head.

Walhart snarls at the prince and slowly rises to his feet. Chrom can hear Robin in combat with his entourage as the bluenette carefully puts Falchion between him and the Conqueror. "You think you've won?" The taller man scoffs, blank eyes staring into Chrom's blue ones. "You blow as if to douse a candle…"

"Your forces are broken." Chrom says, brows furrowed in determination. "Your army has turned on you. You are bested in combat. Surrender Walhart, and we will spare your men."

"Never." the man growls, pulling himself up to full height. Even without his mount, the man towers over the leader of the Shepherds. "We fight for the future of men, not one of us will surrender to _you_. Least of all me." He raises his head. "Men! Fall back to the castle, we make our stand there!"

He slowly walks backwards, keeping his eyes on me until he disappears into the shadows of the castle hallway. Chrom holds himself back from following; that would be a easy way to get ambushed. With great reluctance he turns around and helps his tactician who has been valiantly fighting the Conqueror's entourage this entire time.

###

"You leveled up again Chrom." Robin tells the prince as they relax in the prince's tent later that day. "Hit points, strength, magic, skill, and luck."

"Still no resistance?"

"Nope." He shakes his. "You still have the magic resistance of an old sock."

The bluenette sighs. "I thought you said magic was my lowest growth?"

"It is, but it's like a die roll what you get. Even if your strength growth is really good, there's no guarantee you get another point on level up." The tactician explains apologetically.

"I know, I know, you've explained this before." Chrom chuckles. "How many times have I gotten resistance? Twice?"

"Once." Robin says, smiling. "You're still wearing that talisman, remember?"

"Yeah, I still have it." The prince nods, pulling the gold and silver piece of jewelry out from under his shirt. "You said it gave me two more resistance, right?"

"Yep." Robyn says with a dry smile. "From four to six."

"And that's pretty low, right?"

"Your sister has twenty."

"Uh-"

"Frederick, who has the same growth than you, has ten."

"Well-"

"Vaike has seven, and his growth is less than _half_ of yours."

"Okay, okay…" Chrom coughs. "But it's not like I have any control over this."

"That's true too." Robin acknowledges. "I just hope we find some more talismans. You could get killed in a single hit by any mage we come across. It's a miracle you haven't died yet. If it weren't for that promotion to Great Lord giving you an additional two more you would still be at four."

The prince just smiles. "I appreciate you keeping me alive then."

"Of course." The boy scoffs. "What sort of tactician would I be if I let our leader die?"

"By the way…" Chrom says slowly. "What about _your_ stats?"

"Me?" Robin repeats, blinking. "Uh…"

"Come on Robin." Chrom grins. "There's gotta be something you're bad at too."

"No."

"Rob-"

"No, I'm serious." The man says sheepishly. "I capped most of my stats a while ago. Only luck isn't finished, but it's still at thirty."

"What?" Chrom blurts, eyes wide.

"So, uh, yeah. I'm actually ridiculously powerful."

"How powerful?"

"I could have taken on that entire battle by myself." The boy admits. "I let you guys fight just so you don't feel useless."

Chrom blinks slowly. "Wait, so-"

"I could kill any of you in one attack without breaking a sweat." Robin says bluntly. "Sword or magic, doesn't matter."

"I'm glad you're on our side."

"So am I. You guys are nice to be around."

"Have I ever told you that you're slightly terrifying? You know exactly how easy it is to kill someone by looking at floating numbers above their head."

"I debated not telling you when we first met." Robin admits. "That's why I waited until we got to Ferox, I was mulling it over in my mind."

"That's fair enough." Chrom chuckles. "I probably wouldn't have believed you until I saw how effective your strategies were."

"Always having a good idea of who'll win any given fights is pretty useful for warfare." Robin say cheekily. "Who would guess?"

"Ha ha." The prince says, rolling his eyes. "I just hope you won't have use for that ability after we defeat Walhart. Two wars is more than enough for our lifetime."

"I'll drink to that." Robin agrees. He rises out of his seat and rummages around in one of his chests for a moment, pulling a deep blue bottle out of it. "Feroxi firewhisky. Been saving this for an occasion. Drinking to our upcoming victory sounds like a good enough reason."

He pours two glasses, and they clink them together. "To victory and peace!" Chrom shouts, downing the drink.

Robin grins, holding his glass above his head. "To peace and victory!"

* * *

 **Make no mistake, this is** _ **not**_ **an original concept on my part. The Right Hand of Light did this before me, and I encourage you to look at their story called Multiverse (it focuses more on different personality traits and situations than different gimmicks, but is otherwise just a better version of this collection).**


	2. Robin of the Pact

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

* * *

The first time Chrom met Robin was the night before the battle to save Emmeryn. The prince had been sitting in the strategy tent all afternoon, trying to think of something, _anything_ , that would allow him to save his sister. In desperation, he had whispered. "Naga, anyone, please, just give me _some_ way to win."

And someone had listened.

He felt them before he heard them. A chill had gone down his spine, goosebumps appeared on his skin, and the hair on the back of his neck stood on end... and a voice, quiet and haunting, had whispered in his ear, "are you willing to pay the price?"

" _Any_ price." Chrom had growled. "Just keep my family and friends alive, and let us win this war."

There was quiet for a moment. Chrom dared not turn around, fearful that this was a dream and that trying to look at the presence would cause it to vanish. Then, the voice spoke again: "Give me a name."

That wasn't the price, it was an order. The prince's mind raced, grasping for anything that could be suitable. "Robin!" He blurted out, coming across an acceptably androgynous name.

The presence vanished immediately, leaving Chrom wondering if it had even been real. He spent the next hour drafting a clumsy plan involving the pegasus knights and a full frontal assault, and went to sleep, turning fitfully in his bed.

Next morning Chrom wakes up to find that his army has suddenly obtained a new member. At breakfast, he sees a tall, thin, red-eyed, pale-skinned girl with long white hair pulled back into a ponytail. Her sharp eyes instantly find his, and Chrom knows _exactly_ who she is.

"Hello Robin." He whispers hoarsely.

"Chrom." The girl acknowledges, expression calm. "I finished the plans for today's battle. We should have Emmeryn safe and be out of Plegia by mid afternoon if everything goes well."

"Alright, I presume you have a briefing ready for everyone?" The prince asks.

"Chrom, did you forget already?" Lissa asks, looking up from her own food. "Robin explained everything yesterday, remember?"

The blue-haired boy blinks owlishly. "I… uh…"

"Milord, I know you are under stress, but that is no excuse for ignoring something so critical." Frederick admonishes.

"It's fine Frederick." Robin says, still looking at me. "Chrom. You're part of the frontline. Run in, kill things, protect the pegasus knights as they save Emmeryn, and then the Khans will lead us out. That's the gist. I'll explain more as we prepare."

"Ah, uh, okay." Chrom stammers. "Thank you."

Throughout breakfast, Chrom keeps a careful eye on the girl. He doesn't know what he's looking for. Perhaps some sign of evil that others could pick up on, so that maybe someone else can realize that she's not human. Perhaps it won't stop the price, whatever that is, but someone else knowing what Robin is could stop her from becoming a threat later, after Chrom…

Chrom doesn't know what will happen to him, but he assumes he won't survive long after the war. He isn't the most well-read person ever, but he's heard tales (mostly in little snippets from Sumia) of demons that make a deal in exchange for your soul, or eternal servitude. Chrom expects something like that to happen to him but for the safety of his sister and victory for Ylisse he's willing to pay that price.

Robin's plan is a modification of Chrom's. It involves the full frontal assault and the pegasus knights, but with additional notes like having the mages and Virion man the walls afterwards to ward of the Wyvern Brigade, and to have all other units spread out across the fort's grounds to strike down any Risen the enemy Grimleal might try to summon there to shoot down the pegasus knight rescue. It's a deceptively simple plan.

The plan goes off without a hitch. Chrom leads the charge to the gates, picking up a war monk named Libra and a dark mage named Tharja along the way (who takes an instant interest in Robin). Gangrel beats a hasty retreat as the Shepherds cut through the fort's soldiers, and the angular man shrieks for the Wyvern Brigade.

Just as Robin predicted, someone tries to summon Risen archers in the fort. The Shepherds frantically cut them down as they try to aim their bows, and they fend of the monsters long enough for the pegasus knights to successfully carry Emmeryn off the battlefield. The ariel knights circle one, waiting for the Wyvern Brigade to be dealt with, and soar off towards the Ylissian main army.

Chrom rallies the Shepherds when he sees Flavia and Basillio run up. The two khans lead the Ylissians deeper into the desert towards a caravan. The two Feroxi leaders has set up the caravan to smuggle them out of the country, as the non-ariel members of the shepherds had no easy way to return to the main force. Even their camp and all personal belongings had to be left with the main force as there was no easy way to bring it along.

Chrom ends up sharing a wagon with Robin, Frederick, and Lissa. He sits uncomfortably next to Robin, who he swears is staring at him when he's not looking. Lissa seems terribly amused at something and keeps smiling at him the entire trip back.

###

Over the next few months the war truly starts. Large-scale battles become commonplace, and the Shepherds find themselves going on strike missions against key targets. Robin's strategies become key in keeping the Shepherds alive, and it's only thanks to her genius (and occasionally quick-thinking if things go wrong) that prevent deaths among the team.

Robin herself is a curious person. She shows no sign that she's any different from a normal person except one single interaction. Late at night, with no one around, Chrom had asked her if she was who he named.

Chrom had expected her to unmask, taunt him about the price he doesn't know, speak in that haunting whisper, _something_ to show the demon beneath. Instead she just said "yes Chrom" and left.

The first thing Chrom notices when watching Robin is that she is always calm. Nothing seems to surprise her, despite Gaius and Lissa's best efforts. That's not to say she's emotionless though, she can occasionally be seen smiling as she speaks with Sumia or playing War of Worlds with Virion.

Chrom can't decide if it's an act or not. He doesn't trust the girl. She seems to insist on taking time out of her day to talk or spar with him. During this time she seems so… normal. She asks about his family, about Ylisse, his friendships, everything. Her backstory as an amnesiac (something Chrom only learned when Gregor joked about it) gave her the perfect excuse to ask about anything she wanted and Chrom couldn't refuse without looking mean.

The prince spends an inordinate amount of time wondering what the price for his deal is. At first he thought it would just be his life, but as Robin asks more and more about everything she can, he worries she's planning on staying and that he'll have to help.

He also notices how others react to seeing him and Robin talk. Lissa giggles, Sumia smiles, Corderlia stares, and Frederick scowls but avoids them. There's some assumption they all have, and Chrom doesn't know what. Is Robin manipulating them?

The war drags on with massive losses on Plegia's side. Despite superior numbers Plegia has few elite troops, and Ylisse's small but elite military and Ferox's hoard of powerful warriors tend to decimate every fight they partake in. The sheer number of Plegia's forces keeps them from making much ground, but over the course of the months the war has taken, they've pushed up to the capital and cornered Gangrel in the main castle.

The Shepherds prepare for a final fight, talking excitedly. Chrom, however, sits in a corner. He is making peace with his upcoming fate, whatever it may be. " _I did what I had to._ " He thinks, looking lovingly at Lissa, who is flirting with a disgruntled Lon'qu. " _I kept them alive, Ylisse is safe. Even if I become a puppet, or get my soul taken, the deal will protect my family and friends. Robin has held her end of the deal, so I'll hold mine._ "

What pains the boy most is that no one knows. He didn't risk telling anyone for fear that Robin would abandon the deal. There was also the problem of no one knowing that Robin wasn't human. To everyone else she was an amnesiac Chrom found in a field half a year ago, not a pact demon that suddenly appeared a mere three months ago and rewrote everyone's memories.

Chrom's journal however, in which he writes infrequently, has a record of the deal and what Robin is. Perhaps one day, after the price is taken and Chrom is dead or possessed, Lissa will stumble upon it and know what the cost of Emmeryn's life was.

This all goes through the prince's mind as he watches the Shepherds, _his_ Shepherds, prepare for the final fight. Lissa, Frederick, Sully, Stahl, Virion, Vaike, Miriel, Sumia, Kellam, Donnel, Cordelia, Maribelle, Ricken, Lon'qu, Panne, Gaius, Gregor, Nowi, Libra… even Tharja, Anna, and Robin.

Yes, Robin. Chrom will miss all of them, even the demon. At least, he'll miss _this_ version of the demon: a curious tactician who is surprisingly pleasant and tries her best to keep them all alive.

Now that he thinks of it, Robin really would have made his life better if she were just a normal person. She goes out of her way to ask _him_ questions, not others, and Chrom could easily see himself enjoying her presence if he didn't know what she was. She helped take the burden of paperwork off his shoulders, and seemed (for whatever reason) to enjoy spending time around him.

Really they could have been great friends and Chrom finds himself wishing, just for the smallest moment, that his memory had been rewritten with everyone else's so he could see her like that.

A hand falls on Chrom's shoulder, and he glances tiredly at whoever it is. Robin of all people looks down at him, and rubs his shoulder… comfortingly?

"Everything will be fine." She says, calm as ever. Her red eyes almost seem soft. "I have a plan."

Chrom never had a doubt that they'd win the battle, so he just smiles weakly and excuses himself. He doesn't miss the way Robin frowns as he leaves.

###

"Surrender Gangrel!" Chrom shouts, striding to the front of his team. Frederick and Robin stand by his side, flanking him. Gangrel stands outside the castle looking very alone, his guards are organized but few, and all stand at least several meters away. Even Aversa who has stood by him until now is nowhere to be seen.

"No!" The man cries defiantly. He raises his jagged sword at the Shepherds. "What would I be if I just gave up? A sad failure rotting in a cell, that's what! I won't be chained like a dog for trying to rule a broken country!"

At this moment, Chrom thinks that perhaps a small glimpse of the man Plegia sees is showing through. He is man twisted by desperation and religious pressure, but he is someone who tried to fix Plegia, someone who gave jobs by building an army, and paid that army from his own pockets. He also fed the starving masses (albeit by stealing from Ylisse through poorly disguised bandit raids) which is why he was supported for so long despite his obvious insanity.

That's in the past though. Gangrel still needs to be taken down even if Chrom doesn't feel so proud about doing it.

"Shepherds..." Chrom says quietly, raising his sword. Everyone readies themselves: leveling lances, hefting axes, and opening tomes. The prince lowers his sword. "Advance."

There isn't much strategy to this battle. Gangrel's force is pitifully small because most of his army is dead, wounded, or has been forced out of the city by the Feroxi. What troops he does have are just standard fare guards with only a few notable elites. Chrom, and indeed also Robin, are expecting a slaughter...

...and that's exactly what they get. Despite assurances of safety should they surrender, most of the Plegian soldiers fight to the death while being encouraged by their squad commanders. The squad commanders themselves are elite units, fervent supporters of Gangrel, but they fall when faced with multiple foes.

Eventually Gangrel is cornered and, despite his best efforts to die fighting, subdued and chained to be brought back to Ylisse and presented to Emmeryn.

Everyone breaths a collective sigh of relief. Within the hour, messages start arriving with offers to surrender from Plegian commanders. The first is a man called Mustafa, and the rest follow his example quickly after.

Chrom smiles at his friends as they cheer and congratulate each other. He can imagine Emmeryn back home getting news of their victory and smiling.

The ride home is actually rather quiet. Everyone is tired from the fight, and they look forward to arriving home and going back to bed, or seeing family, or spending time with loved ones. There will be a party in a weeks time Chrom expects, but in the meantime everyone will appreciate some downtime.

The day passes without incident. Chrom doesn't even see Robin after he returns that day, and instead spends it with Emmeryn and Lissa.

The next day the blue-haired prince dismisses the Shepherds for a week vacation. Robin stays in the Ylisstol, her backstory as amnesiac giving her a perfectly acceptable reason not to leave.

All through the week, Chrom expects it to happen. Robin spends more time around him, still asking questions. Sometimes she asks him to play a game: cards, War of Worlds, anything. When he loses Chrom expects her to collect, but she doesn't.

The prince is starting to get anxious. The day before the Shepherds are due back, he confronts his tactician.

"Robin." Chrom barks, knocking on her door early in the morning. "I need to speak with you."

He hears her scramble behind the door, and it takes a few minutes before she opens it. When she does her hair is frayed, her clothes hastily thrown on, and her eyes lack their usual sharp acuity.

"I- uh- sure. Come in?" Robin says, sounding confused. She hides a yawn as Chrom steps inside, clearly having just woken up. "What is it Chrom? Why are you here? Did I forget a meeting or something?"

"No." Chrom shakes his head, taking a deep breath. "I've come to ask about the price."

"What?" Robin blinks. "Come again?"

"The price." The prince says in frustration. "For our deal."

"Ah…" Her eyes flash, and she suddenly straightens up. A smile creaks across her face."Have you come to negotiate?"

Chrom shakes his head. "No. I want to know when you're collecting."

She tilts her head. "I've already collected."

The prince blinks slowly. "What?"

"The price has already been paid." She repeats.

Chrom's mind races. Already paid? Did something else change that he didn't notice? What happened. "What did you take? What did you do?"

"Take? I didn't take anything." Robin hums. "The price was my body, being allowed to live, nothing more."

"What about everyone's memories?" Chrom pushes.

"A few spells, some at long range." She says dismissively. "The Shepherds, Emmeryn and Philia. No one else."

"So… the price was just that you can live?" The prince croaks.

"Yes. Being formless energy gets horribly boring, I needed the magic of a contract to make a body." Robin hums.

"S-So I'm alive?" Chrom's voice breaks. "Gods, I'm alive…"

"Chrom?" The demon's voice calls out as the prince falls to his knees. "You're crying. Are you alright? Chrom?"

* * *

 **Gonna alternate between male and female Robin every chapter, otherwise I'd only be writing female Robin. This chapter is a much better example of what this collection will be like.**


	3. Risen Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

* * *

Another fireball, this one slams square into Chrom's back. He's knocked to the floor, skin boiling from the spell. The prince forces himself upright, shoulders screaming in pain from the severe burns. He grabs Falchion, which he had dropped when he fell, and uses the holy sword as a walking stick to keep himself from falling over.

The prince was never good with or against magic, and now it came back to bite him.

The sound of someone walking through the undergrowth prompts Chrom to move faster. His foot snags on something, a rock or a root, and he falls again.

"Gods, no." He gasps, grabbing at his sword again. "Not here…"

"There are better places to rest than on the ground you know." A distorted, amused voice says. Someone steps in front of Chrom, though from his spot on the ground the prince can only see the gold-accented black boots and the golden hem of a similarly coloured cloak. "Here, let me help."

Someone reaches down, grabbing Chrom under his shoulders. The prince hisses in pain as he's pulled upright, but gratefully steadies himself by grabbing the man's shoulders. "Thank you stranger, but you should leave. I'm being chased…" His voice trails off as he looks the man in the face, and a cold fear takes root in his gut.

The young man's face is a familiar shade of purple, and his bright red eyes leave no question that he is Risen. However, he lacks the usual mask, and beyond the odd colour he looks perfectly human.

"I know." The man says calmly. Chrom tries to ignore the small wisp of purple smoke that exits the man's mouth when he speaks. "I was watching. Rather brave of you to act as bait." He reaches into a pocket, pulling out an Elixir. He hands it to Chrom. "Here, you probably need this more than me. I'll deal with your friend."

The man pulls an Arcthunder tome out of a pocket in their coat and walks back the way Chrom came. The prince stares blankly after him, only to shake himself out of his confusion at the last minute and call "wait! What's your name?"

"Robin!" The man responds, not looking back. "Now drink the damn elixir or you're gonna fall over again!"

Chrom does as the man says, chugging the drink while steadying himself against a tree. The elixir is slightly sour, a sign of the drink being old and stale, but Chrom can still feel the skin on his back patching itself together as the magic herbs in the drink do their work.

A flash of light from Robin's direction drags the prince's attention. A flash of fire and a ball of lighting clash together, creating an explosion of magical energy that rattles nearby trees and sends a flurry of leaves falling from above.

A few moments later the flashes of light stop, and Robin's voice calls out: "got him!"

Chrom picks up Falchion yet again, sucking in his breath at the pain that still lances across his back. At least his legs don't feel like they're going to give out anymore. He walks, limps really, over to Robin, observing the fallen form of the dark knight dissolving into purple smoke. The only thing left is the tome and the sword, which Robin happily takes and shoves into his cloak and belt respectively.

"Impressive." The prince praises, eyeing the boy nervously. Maybe Robin has helped him, but the man being Risen means that Chrom is still cautious.

"He was tough." Robin hums, dusting himself off. "Stronger than most of these weaklings I kill on a daily basis."

"You hunt Risen?"

"Yep. Gives me something to do other than wander the forests." He shrugs. "You should get back to your battle by the way."

Right, Chrom almost forgot about the fight in his shock. Frederick will be worried sick. "Will you help?"

"You think your team won't kill me on sight?"

Ah. "Fair point. Will you at least stick around afterwards? I'd like to talk to you more."

"Sure. I'll just stick to the trees."

As the prince runs off, the tactician smiles to himself and watches from the treeline. This is the most interesting thing that's happened to him since he suddenly woke up two months ago in the middle of nowhere with no need to eat or sleep. Sure this could be a deadly mistake, his blue-haired man might be nice but there's no guarantee his teammates are the same, but Robin doesn't want his entire life to be walking through forests hunting monsters never speaking to anyone. This is a risk he's willing to take.

###

"Geeze Chrom! You had me worried!" Lissa cries, hugging her brother. "You disappeared for three minutes when that dark knight was chasing you!"

"I know, I know." He smiles, returning the gesture. "Sorry."

"You must have been very lucky to beat the knight on your own Milord." Virion remarks. "If you'll pardon me saying so, you aren't exactly known for your resistance to magic."

"And the back of your outfit is totally gone." Lissa notices. "Your skin is red, but you don't seem hurt… did you drink your concoction?"

"No I didn't." The prince coughs. "I may have had some help…"

"Help? Not from one of the Shepherds?" Frederick asks, eyes narrowing. "Where is this individual? Did Marth appear again?"

"No, uh, his name is Robin." Chrom explains. "He was the one who defeated the dark knight after I got hit."

"And where is he?" Frederick repeats, immediately suspicious.

The prince pauses, mind racing. He had planned to talk to Robin in private after the battle, and maybe even see about inviting the man to join the Shepherds. This was in part due to the need for a good fighters, and partly to keep an eye on the _only_ sentient Risen the Shepherds had ever found.

Robin meanwhile listens from the trees only a dozen meters away. He debates internally, weighing pros and cons, sighs to himself, and walks out of the treeline. "When you said you wanted to talk to me more, I thought it _wouldn't_ involve introductions."

Everyone gasps in shock at the sight of him, and several people draw their weapons. To Robin's credit he doesn't flinch, and instead casually rests against a tree while Chrom explains. "Look, he saved my life by giving me his elixir _and_ defeated the knight."

"Milord." Frederick says, gripping his lance tightly. "That man is Risen!"

"I know Frederick, but he helped us."

"Fascinating…" Miriel murmurs, fearlessly walking up to the boy. "Please, describe to me what it feels like to be Risen."

"Uh…" Robin blinks, surprised. "I have point of reference for what living feels like, so I'm not so sure I'll be of any use."

"Really, you don't remember what you were in life?" The mage prods, pulling out a notebook and quill.

"Nope. There are a _few_ things i can tell you though. I don't have to eat or sleep for one." The purple-skinned boy explains, giving Miriel his full attention.

"Curious. What occurs when you are injured? Do you have a natural healing process?"

"Nope, I need vulunaries."

"Hmm… Your cloak, do you recognize it?"

"No." Robin shakes his head. "Do you?"

"In a sense. It bears the symbols of grimleal, but has the design of a tactician's garb." Miriel says. "I can tentatively suggest you were a religious war leader of some sort, perhaps you were in training considering your youthful appearance. Though that makes your presence in Ylisse quite curious…"

While Miriel questions Robin, Frederick and Virion question Chrom.

"You heard Miriel." Chrom says. "He's a tactician, he could be useful!"

"Be that as it may, I do not want to trust my life to a Risen…" Virion says with pursed lips. "But Milord is correct in saying the man could be useful. We could learn much about the Risen from him."

"Besides, he's sentient." The prince argues. "Innocent until proven guilty is Ylissian policy, we _must_ give him benefit of the doubt."

"Why is it you only remember your schooling when defending a Risen and not during council sessions?" Frederick grumbles.

"I dunno, he looks like a nice guy to me." Lissa shrugs. "Kinda cute, in an undead sorta way."

"Milady I must implore you to _stay away_ from that thing." Frederick hisses.

"Hey now, he's not a thing." Lissa frowns.

"Look, we're _not_ killing him and that's final." Chrom says firmly. "We will give him a chance."

"As you say Milord." Virion bows.

"As Milord says." Frederick growls through gritted teeth.

"If your head were to be underwater, do you run out of breath?" Miriel presses.

"Never tried, don't plan on it." Robin says, already tired of the questions.

"Robin!" Chrom shouts, stepping over to the man. "The Shepherds would like to extend an invitation to join our group."

"Really?" Robin blinks. "What do you actually do though?"

"We're an elite strike force. We deal with particularly difficult threats that the regular military can't handle, and go on specialized mission from the Exalt." Chrom explains. "Do you accept?"

"Sure." The man nods. "Better than wandering around a forest for days on end."

"Awesome!" Lissa chirps, bounding up the man. She grabs his hand and shakes it vigorously. "Hi, I'm Lissa! Chrom's my brother."

"Uh… hi."

"And I am Frederick." The knight growls, towering over the two. "Watch yourself stanger, I will _happily_ eliminate any threat to Milady or Milord."

"Noted." Robin nods, not flinching in face of the threat.

###

There is a knock at the door, and Emmeryn immediately puts down the proposal in her hand. She rushes to the door, taking only a moment to straighten her robes and put on a serene expression. She must appear calm and collected at all times, even if this is who she thinks it is.

She opens the door gently, and is happy to see Chrom and Frederick standing before her.

"Hey Emm." Chrom grins. "We're back."

"I'm glad." The Exalt smiles. "Come in, come in."

"Er, before that…" Chrom coughs. "We have someone to introduce."

At this point, Emmeryn notices Frederick's barely concealed nervousness. She sets her expectations appropriately and squares her shoulders. "Of course. I'll see them now."

"He's just around the corner." Chrom murmurs. He raises his voice a little. "Robin?"

The first thing Emmeryn can see is the elegant, if a bit worn, gold-trimmed black cloak. The markings are distinctly grimleal, at which point she silently anticipates another one of Chrom's more _interesting_ finds like Miriel or Gaius.

Despite that, the purple skin and glowing red eyes still catch her off guard.

Emmeryn blinks slowly, processing the man before her. A Risen without a mask... _that_ is a first.

"Hello your Grace." Robin speaks in an odd, slightly distorted voice. "It's an honor to meet you. I'm Robin, the newest member of the Shepherds." He extends a hand, which Emmeryn tentatively takes. The man's skin is lacking natural warmth, but otherwise feels human.

"A pleasure to meet you." Emmeryn says with a smile. Risen or not, the boy has Chrom's trust and therefore Emmeryn's. "I look forward to hearing of your exploits Robin."

The man smiles, clearly happy to have someone react normally to him. "I'll try my best."

"If that's all. I will show Robin to the barracks." Frederick growls, wanting this Risen _away_ from the prince and the exalt.

"Of course Frederick." Emmeryn nods. "Unless you have further need of him Chrom…?"

"No, I simply wished to make introductions. You always insist on meeting new members of the Shepherds." Chrom says, shaking his head. To Robin he says: "see Virion tomorrow morning, he'll help draw up a schedule for you."

"Alright." The man shrugs. He bows. "Goodnight Chrom, your Grace."

The knight leads Robin away, and the royals are quickly out of view. The two of them walk in silence, with Frederick constantly glancing down at the boy as if expecting him to suddenly turn on him.

Actually, that's _exactly_ what Frederick is expecting, but nothing happens all the way to the barracks. They avoid the usual paths, instead taking back alleys so that Robin isn't seen. Neither of them want a scene.

The afternoon sky is slowly darkening. It's well past dinner time at this point, but the Shepherds are still eating when Frederick and Robin enter the barracks. Robin, despite not needing to eat, sits at the table. He knows Frederick will follow him if he goes somewhere else, but the man hasn't eaten since the battle at midday so the Risen boy patiently waits at the table while Frederick eats.

"Pardon me." Robin whispers, tapping the girl sitting next to him. "Sorry to bother you, but I saw you reading earlier. Since I don't sleep, I was wondering if you had some books I could borrow to tide me over for the night. I never had the chance to visit the library."

Sumia gulps down her food, surprised that the man is speaking to _her_ of all people. "I- Uh- Yes, I do! I have several! Do you prefer a certain genre?"

Robin shakes his head. "I don't remember anything about my past life so I'll be happy just to _read_ , regardless of what it is."

"Ooh!" Sumia smiles widely. "In that case, I have the perfect ones!"

The girl abandons her meal for a moment, rushing off to her room. Frederick glares at Robin suspiciously, but he ignores the knight. As much as Frederick glares and stares, the purple-skinned boy knows he won't do anything without Chrom's say-so.

"Here's six of my favourites!" Sumia says cheerfully, handing the boy the books. "Hopefully this will work!"

Robin curiously looks over the titles as the pegasus knight returns to eating. _Wyvern Wars: Terror at High Noon_ , _The Mystery of Goldspire Keep_ , _From Beyond the Outrealms_ , _Garude's Fairy Tales_ , _The Gearwork Future_ , _The Fall of Atama_ , and a seventh book she must not have noticed titled _The Duchess' Favour_.

Robin tries not to grin, and flips open the last book. Frederick shoots him a disgruntled look which the boy ignores.

When Frederick finally shows Robin to his room, the boy thanks him, closes the door, and hunkers down for a long night of reading by candlelight.

###

The next few weeks are an awkward adjustment period for everyone. They need to get used to Robin moving around a corner and _not_ impulsively punching him. Robin can't feel pain so he always waves off the incident, but walking around with a spoon in his forehead did get the boy a few odd looks.

He quickly proves himself to be a mage nearly (but not quite) equal to Miriel, and a budding swordsman as well. However it quickly becomes clear that he is best at tactics. While he can't beat Virion in War of Worlds, he always comes out with minimal casualties for which Virion is envious. During a meeting, Virion even suggests that once Robin has proven himself trustworthy they should see about letting the boy command in his place. Frederick is _vehemently_ opposed, but everyone else agrees to the idea. They've all grown to like (or at least not fear) the Risen boy except Frederick the Wary of course, but that doesn't surprise anyone.

Interestingly, Robin can be healed by staves just like a normal person. Miriel had speculated that divine healing magic would reject Risen flesh just like blessed weapons do, but a controlled test reveals that staves work just fine.

Chrom buys a mask and gloves for Robin as well as an alternate cloak that's blue and gold so he can walk in public without drawing too much attention. Robin mostly uses this to visit the library and the candle shop, as he inevitably goes through several of each every night.

The Shepherds also go out to hunt elite Risen bands a few times in those few weeks. Robin quickly proves to be an asset as he shoots down foes with Miriel, Ricken, and Virion, and can also run interference if something ever gets close enough to warrant melee combat.

One fight, Virion takes an arrow to the head. It doesn't quite penetrate his skull, but the man falls into a coma for several days. With no other options, they allow Robin to take command of them during their next fight. He devises a strategy involving long-range bombardment and hit-and-run tactics that _don't_ involve potentially sacrificing someone for a quick victory. His plan is slower, but infinitely safer. When Virion wakes up, he is overjoyed to hear that Robin now has permission to help him with tactics.

A month later Emmeryn is captured by the Mad King Gangrel. Robin replaces Virion as head tactician, and everyone breaths a collective sigh of relief.

* * *

 **This idea could probably be executed better, but I'm satisfied with this.**


	4. Mirroreye Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

* * *

The moment they first spoke to each other, Chrom realized that Robin was good at reading people. The small girl, only coming up to the prince's armpits, was fantastic at predicting what someone was feeling. When introduced to the Shepherds, she quickly came to act as everyone's confident.

This was only after they got over their nervousness though. Having mirrors for eyes tended to offset even the most accepting people. Chrom didn't care though, he found her unique eyes interesting, even if it was hard to tell if she was looking at him or not. (She usually was.)

There were other things that separated Robin from everyone else as well. She would correct people on vocabulary before they even said the word in question, and could often guess when someone wanted something (usually shown by her fetching the thing in question without it even being mentioned). The Shepherds just chalked it up to her ability to read people.

Others didn't like Robin. They whispered about her plegian robes, pale skin, the mark on the back of her hand, and of course her eyes. A demon, they said, a grimleal that went too far. Some members of the court even had the audacity to come to Chrom directly and tell him that the girl should be imprisoned or sent away.

Chrom always sent them running when he reached for Falchion.

Robin tended to stay in the Shepherd's barracks, only coming out to visit the library or for missions. Her reflective eyes were always on some book when not talking, she kept at least one in her cloak at all times.

Whenever Robin spoke with someone, she would look them in the eye the entire conversation. Most people tended to look away, squeamish under her stare. Chrom didn't. He liked the look of her eyes, it was part of what made Robin who she was.

Chrom had long been a confident for Stahl. It was a well kept secret between the two of them. However, when Robin started to gain a reputation as sort of therapist, Chrom encouraged the green knight to speak to her. He remembered talking to Stahl when he came back a few hours later, happy and in awe.

"It was incredible!" Stahl said. "As soon as I mentioned that I sometimes looked down on myself, she asked me if I was a stress eater! She guessed it right away! It was nice to be able to air my concerns with her. Uh, no offense Chrom. I appreciate your help too."

Chrom waved it off, smiling. The entire reason he sent the knight to Robin is because he knew she would do a better job than him. Stahl soon started carrying around a flask and, when he would usually complain of hunger, instead take a deep drink of the flavoured water inside. This became less and less frequent over a few more months, until he stopped altogether and could proudly tell Gaius he wasn't hungry when the man offered him sweets.

Not everyone's problems were solved so quickly, but Robin's therapy was undeniably effective, and Chrom admired her for being able to do what he couldn't for his friends. Robin had offered to talk to him too. It didn't have to be for a major problem, she could help with simple stress, but Chrom refused. It wasn't because he didn't have problems; he could use some help with the stress of being prince, he never felt like he was doing enough; but he had some things he didn't want her to know, and he feared she'd figure him out if her legendary ability to read people was any precedent.

That's not to say he didn't spend time with her. Chrom took lessons in tactics from the girl. Someone watching one of these lessons would see Chrom continuously and systematically demolished at the popular strategy game War of Worlds. He often felt frustrated at his defeats, and even Robin admitted that he wasn't making a lot of progress.

"You need to practice more." She'd say. "Have a plan coming in rather than improvising. You're already good at that." Or sometimes, "positioning Chrom. You can't always win just because you have stronger units." However the most frequent thing the white-haired girl would tell him, while staring him in the eye, was: "you're distracted again Chrom. Focus on the game."

Chrom would look away whenever she said that, avoiding her reflective eyes out of embarrassment. He did this because she was right, and he hoped she didn't discover why.

One day Frederick informed Chrom that Robin wanted him to come to her room for his lesson rather than the office (which used to belong to Chrom until Robin took over as tactician). This wasn't the first time this had happened. Sometimes there was too much paperwork to have space for War of Worlds in the office. Other times Robin just wanted to get out of there after working five hours straight.

However when Chrom is allowed into her room this time the portable table and the extra chair are nowhere to be seen. Robin is sitting at her desk, cloak draped over the back of her seat with her back to him.

"Chrom." The girl says, putting away her quill. "Sit."

The prince looks around, not finding the usual chair. He can't even find the fold-up desk that she brings to her room when lessons are done here. A bit unsure, he gingerly sits on her bed.

The girl rises from her seat, not bothering to put on her cloak. It's a new sight for Chrom, and he tries not to stare. Robin always wears her cloak, no matter how casual the situation.

Chrom doesn't want to admit he's wondered what she looks like without the cloak. It's an ungentlemanly thing to consider. Then again, he's wondered worse about her before, and Chrom sometimes wishes he could fall _out_ of love so he wouldn't think such things about his friend. It's part of the reason he refused therapy, he didn't want her to figure that out.

The small girl stands before Chrom, watching him with a neutral expression on her face. The prince forces himself not to look away, meeting her gaze unflinchingly. He smiles nervously in greeting, saying "I don't see the game anywhere, are we doing something else today?"

"Yes." She says curtly. With quick, deliberate motions she plants her hands on Chrom's shoulders and hops onto the bed. Robin sits on his lap, still keeping her reflective eyes on Chrom. The prince is tense, totally unsure what he should do. This is _not_ what he expected to happen today. His eyes flit from side to side, half expecting to see Lissa giggling in the doorway and tell him that his expression was priceless.

He expects this to be a prank or a joke, but Lissa is nowhere to be seen and the door is closed.

"What are you doing?" Chrom asks, nervousness in his voice.

"What you want me to do." Robin blinks, keeping her neutral demeanor. "Isn't it? You don't come to my lessons to learn tactics." The girl leans in a bit, bringing them nose to nose.

A chill goes down Chrom's spine. " _How much does she know?_ " He thinks, struggling to keep the alarm off his face. "What are you talking about Robin? Of course I come to the lessons-"

"-to be around me." Robin finishes, eyes boring into the prince. Chrom can see his reflection in them now, and he can see that he looks like a cornered deer. "You haven't made any progress for the last five lessons Chrom."

"I- okay." The blue-haired boy stammers, leaning back a bit. "Maybe I came there to be around you, but I also came there to-"

"-fantasize about me, and then yell at yourself for being a terrible friend." The tactician finishes again.

"Wh-What?" The prince coughs, eyes wide as saucers. "That's redicul-"

"Chrom." Robin says calmly. "Have I ever told you what my eyes do?"

"N-No."

"They allow me to read mind of whoever meets my gaze." The white-haired girl explains softly. "Word for word, picture for picture, so long as they look me in the eye. That's how I know your motivations Chrom. You _always_ look me in the eyes."

Upon hearing that; realizing that Robin knows, _she knows_ , Chrom's expression devolves into one of horror. "Robin, I- I just- Gods I'm so sorry, I didn't realize- Naga you must think I'm terrible-"

"Chrom."

"-If I had realized you could hear me, see what I was imagining, I would have _never_ asked for lessons!-"

"Chrom!"

"-and burdened you with my disgusting thoughts! If there's any way I can make-"

"Wake up!" The girl barks, grabbing Chrom's head with her hands. The prince is hyperventilating, he doesn't want to look at her eyes, but their faces are so close together that he doesn't really have a choice. For the first time since he arrived Robin's face is not a neutral mask, but an expression of annoyance. "I agreed to give you lessons every week, and I never asked you to leave. How much do you think I care? Do I _look_ disgusted to you?"

"No, but-"

"Do you think I'm some sort of doormat that wouldn't kick you out due to fear or gratefulness?!"

"Well…"

"Chrom. With all due respect, you are _not_ scary, and you know full well that I don't let gratitude get in the way of me speaking my mind."

"That's true, but-"

"But…?"

"-but… uh…" Chrom flounders, he doesn't have anything to say to that. "But my thoughts were-"

"The _tamest_ fantasies I've ever seen." Robin says curtly. "Seriously, you should see the thoughts of random people on the street, especially the teenagers. If you think that wanting to hug me is somehow a horrendous atrocity that can never be forgiven, you're just plain _wrong_."

"So you _don't_ hate me?"

"Naga above Chrom, I'm sitting _in your lap_ on my bed. Do you _think_ I hate you?"

"No…?"

The girl rolls her eyes to the roof (at least Chrom thinks she does, her eyes are flawless mirrored orbs so it's impossible to tell when they roll or move on their own).

"Sorry, sorry." Chrom mumbles, realizing how foolish he's being right now. "I can't read minds like you. I want to make sure."

"Don't mention that by the way. Most people probably wouldn't react well to knowing I can read their mind." Robin warns. "The only reason I told you is because you've been particularly trusting."

"Ah…" Chrom mumbles. He thinks it must be because she knows he likes her.

"And because I trust you too." She says, smiling wryly. "Not _just_ because you have a crush."

The prince coughs. " _Right._ " He thinks, looking her in the eye. " _You can read minds, that's going to take some getting used to._ "

"Yeah, I would imagine so. For the record though, I prefer you speak. It's weird to chat with someone who doesn't talk back." She responds.

"Sorry."

"Stop apologizing Chrom, it's getting redundant."

"Sor- Nevermind."

"Exactly."

The two are quiet for a few moment as the conversation comes to an end. Chrom shuffles a bit, arms raising tentatively to push the girl out of his lap.

"Chrom, we've already established you want to hug me. Just do it already, I'm cold without my cloak."

Feeling sheepish, the prince puts his arms around the girl, doing as she says. Robin returns the favour, smiling in amusement. Chrom absently wonder-

"Yes, Chrom. If you want, we are now 'courting' each other. Known in _normal_ people terms as 'getting a girlfriend'."

Chrom flushes. "Augh…"

"Get used to it. I literally can't turn it off." Robin hums.

* * *

 **Little bit of trivia, this was actually the second chapter I wrote. I thought the fourth (Robin of the Pact) was more well-written so I put it up second.**

* * *

 **Kagami Rose** **:** Feel free to use these gimmicks (though I would appreciate you mention me as the source if that's the case) the entire point of this collection is to inspire and show ideas I personally couldn't make entire stories out of.

 **I'm a Nobody. Who are You** **:** It was hard to get that part of the story to work. I debated actually having Robin collect his soul or something, but I like happy endings so I didn't.

 **SolidShinji104 :** Hmm… Robin was still Grima in her timeline, so the encounter wouldn't be that different. She would have known he was a Risen already due to the Robin of her world. Don't think I could write a scene different enough to be worth it. Sorry.


	5. Stringcutter Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

* * *

"Milord, I must _insist_ you step away from the man." A stern voice says loudly.

"We can't just leave him lying there Frederick. We are Shepherds after all." A noble voice responds.

"Yeah, we have to do _something_." A younger girlish voice pipes up.

Robin's face scrunches up, the sunlight and the voices rousing him from sleep. He forces his eyes open, looking up at the three figures standing over him.

"I see you're awake now." A blue-haired man says, offering Robin his hand, which the boy accepts. He faintly noted the mark on his pale skin. "There are better places to nap then on the ground you know."

"Hey there!" A short, blonde-haired girl chirps. Her teal-grey eyes flick up and down Robin's form, taking him in. They focus on something in his other hand, but quickly return to his face.

Robin acknowledges Lissa with a nod, and brushes his white hair out of his face with the hand he had given to Chrom. Something weighs down his other hand, something familiar. Robin glances down at the familiar item and blinks in surprise.

In his hand is a massive scythe. When Robin hefts it he finds the scythe to be perfectly balanced and light as a feather. It's easily a foot taller than him, is coloured jet black with purple ornamentation, and seems not to reflect light.

Despite the intimidating appearance Robin feels comfort at the sight of the weapon. It's like a friend: something that always he has his back.

"Thanks." Robin says, brushing himself off. "If you don't mind me asking… who are you? Where am I?"

"My name is Chrom." The blue-haired says, smiling. "This is my sister Lissa, and the grouchy one is Frederick."

That was how Robin met Chrom. It was quickly realized that the white-haired boy lacked memories, he only knew his name and that of his weapon: Stringcutter.

"Stringcutter?" Lissa asks, giggling. "Why? Does you use it for breaking spiderwebs?"

Robin doesn't know, but he takes offense to someone belittling his weapon. "No, I don't. This weapon is important to me for… _some_ reason. It feels like a friend. I'll thank you not to mock it."

Frederick's scowl makes it clear he thinks this whole situation is hogwash, but Chrom is more understanding. "I know the feeling. Falchion feels like it was made for me." The man pats the sword at his side. "Names are powerful Lissa. If all he can remember is his own name and that of the scythe, we should respect it."

Robin is escorted to the nearest village for questioning, as talking in the middle of a field is not the most comfortable. The boy figures they _didn't_ expect the town to be on fire. The three try to leave Robin behind for his safety but he insists on following. Stringcutter isn't just for show.

Robin quickly shows an aptitude for tactics and starts ordering Chrom in flanking maneuvers. He also starts commanding Lissa into safe hiding spots and cover, and even instructs Frederick in where he would be of most use.

Falchion and Stringcutter slash through the brigand's leather armor with ease. Robin's fighting style is unusual due to his choice of weapon, and involves both wide arcing slashes for power and twirls of the weapon around his arms or neck for quick strikes. It was a style made possible only by the weapon's unnaturally light weight in Robin's hands, otherwise the weapon would simply fall from his grasp or lack power.

That isn't the only thing though. The weapon seems to stick to Robin, sometimes leaving his grip for a moment as he spins it around. To Lissa who watches the fighting from the back, it's clear the the thing is magic.

The fighting is over quickly, with the bandits' leader falling to Falchion. Robin is accepted into the Shepherds on account of having nowhere else to go and being skilled in a fight.

###

"Chrom!" Robin calls, "I need backup!"

The white-haired boy blocks the sword swing form a Risen mercenary and ducks the stab from a soldier. He's fighting a three on one battle and losing, as the cuts and holes on his cloak will attest to.

A strong jab from the soldier nicks Robin on the shoulder, and Stringcutter tumbles from his grip. The tactician is forced to back away from the barbarian swinging at his face. The white-haired boy starts to panic as the three foes close in, and his empty hand twitches.

Suddenly Stringcutter returns, appearing in Robin's hand at his mental call. He lifts it and blocks the oncoming axe, then breathes a sigh of relief when Chrom impales the barbarian. They stand side by side, facing the other two Risen.

"Did it just come back to you?" Chrom asks, breathing hard.

"Yeah." Robin grunts, swinging wide. "I don't know why, but I'm not questioning it."

"At this rate it's going to replace me as your best friend." The prince jokes.

"Replace? There was never any competition." The tactician quips. "I've _always_ liked Stringcutter more."

The next day Robin figures out he can throw the weapon and call it back, turning Stringcutter into a thrown weapon. Vaike is jealous that the willowy boy can throw a massive scythe further than he can a hand-axe.

###

" _She knows_." Robin thinks with his eyes narrowed. The masked Marth had avoided his attack with ease, like he'd _expected_ the tactician to throw the scythe. "You know…"

"You'll have to be more specific than that." Marth responds calmly, dodging the scythe's point as it cuts down from overhead.

"You knew Stringcutter could come back, you knew I would throw it." The tactician accuses, blocking the mock-Falchion with the shaft of his weapon. "Don't try to deny it, you reacted too quickly, you saw the wind-up and knew _exactly_ what I was doing."

"I am familiar with many weapons." Marth responds, narrowly avoiding a cut to the stomach as she leaps backwards, "and that scythe is no exception."

"You know about Stringcutter?" The white-haired man asks in a hush.

"An ancient weapon, it's original owner is unknown." Marth whispers. "It is a weapon for those who defy fate, cutting the strings that puppet you."

"Hence the name." Robin responds.

"Exactly."

###

It looked like it was going to fail. The Risen archers had suddenly emerged from the floor, the Shepherds had no way to stop them. In desperation Robin threw his weapon, trying to do _something_ to the archers to protect their pegasus riders.

To his amazement, the scythe smashes through several Risen rather than just impaling one like it usually would. It was almost like Stringcutter had listened to him. Lucina's words rang in his ears as the Shepherds charge forwards, determined to change fate, to not let Emmeryn die.

Some arrows still fly, striking Philia's pegasus. Miraculously, despite the arrow in it's leg, her pegasus stays in the air and carries its rider and Emmeryn off the battlefield. Fate had said that Emmeryn would die in the assassination, and it looked like it would claim her despite that aversion, but once again they had beaten the odds and Emmeryn survives.

However the Shepherds are still outnumbered; Chrom and Robin are forced to call a retreat, but take some solace in Gangrel's infuriated cursing.

###

"Chrom, do you see what I see?" The tactician asks.

"Yes." The prince nods, "but I'm not sure I believe it."

Below them they see a small girl in grimleal robes similar to Robin's. In her hand is a black and purple halberd easily twice her height. Despite that, the weapon seems to be an extension of the girl, and she uses it with a finesse similar to Robin as she crushes the Risen in her path.

"So… that's your daughter?"

"I guess so. Unless you think Lucina was lying about there being others. She never mentioned it could change shape."

"What could change shape?"

"Stringcutter. Look at the color." Robin says, pointing at the halberd. "It's too light in her grip to be anything else."

"I hadn't even noticed." Chrom admits, nodding his understanding. "Do we help? It looks like she has this covered, she probably doesn't need us."

"What sort of father would I be if I just let my kid fight without lending a hand?" Robin scoffs, pulling his own personal weapon off his back. He jumps off the cliff, bounding from rock to rock and down to the battle.

"Showoff." Chrom chuckles. He pulls out Falchion and starts running down the side of the hill.

###

"LOOK HERE, THE ANTS COME WITH TOOTHPICKS TO SLAY A GOD." Grima taunts as Chrom and Robin hack through the grimleal surrounding them. "FATE HAS DECREED THAT I WIN, THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN DO."

"It won't be the first time ants have taken down something bigger than them, and it won't be the last!" Robin yells back, "We've beaten fate before, we can do it again!"

"YOU THINK ONE WEAPON CAN CHANGE DESTINY?" Grima laughs.

"I _know_ it can."

"THEN THAT IS YOUR FOLLY, IT SHALL BE YOUR LAST MISTAKE!" The dragon cries. The posses body raises an arm, and the head of the dragon rises over the two men. It opens its mouth and fires a wave of black needles at them, each the size of a spear.

Frederick bursts from the mass of people behind them, and turns to stand his horse in front of the two. His shield goes up, and he grunts as a black needle impales his arm through the shield. More needles hit his horse, which whinnys in pain, but Chrom and Robin are protected.

The two men charge again, ducking under lances and axes, and rolling out the way of fire blasts and bolts of lightning. Their two legendary weapons swing true, felling even mighty generals with a few blows. Behind them they can hear the Shepherds pushing up. The tell-tale roar of fire signals Miriel unleashing her siege tome, and arrows from Virion and Noire snipe enemy mages with incredible accuracy.

Eventually Chrom and Robin stand before Grima, with the Shepherds holding the rest of the grimleal at bay.

"This is it, our final battle." Chrom says, glancing to his friend. "You're one of us, no destiny can change that. Let's kill this dastard so we can go home."

"Agreed." Robin nods. "Thank you Chrom."

The fight is long and brutal. Their foe's dragonskin makes them unnaturally durable, and it's only through Ather and a number of Elixirs that they survive the grueling battle. Falchion leves bright, searing cuts on Grima while Stringcutter leaves gaping wounds which leak Grima's own dark magic.

In the end Grima falls to one knee, too injured to fight anymore. Chrom goes to strike them down, but Robin leaps forward and impales the dragon on the end of his scythe.

"Sorry Chrom." The white haired boy says with a sad grin. His body starts to dissolve into purple mist just like all the Risen they'd slain over the four years they'd known each other. "I couldn't let Grima rise again."

"But…" Chrom flounders, one hand reaching out. "No, Robin, we still need you!"

The boy shakes his head. "I had to fight for the future Chrom. What's one man against the future of the world?"

"You're not just one man, you're a great man."

The tactician smiles as the bottom of his face dissolves. "Take care of Morgan, won't you? I never did find…" Robin's voice cuts off as his mouth dissolves, and in a few more seconds his entire body is gone, blown away on the wind. Chrom reverently picks up the scythe on the ground, the weapon suddenly looks a lot less impressive without its owner.

"We were supposed to defy fate." The blue-haired man says morosely, speaking to the weapon. "Cut the strings that bind us…"

"Chrom, we have to get out of here!" Lissa calls, waving the boy over to the glowing circle the Shepherd's mages had drawn on the dragon's back. "Come on!"

The prince casts one last, longing look to the spot where his friend once stood, and slowly makes his way over to the group.

###

It was gone. Stringcutter had vanished.

The lock was not picked, and there was no sign of anything being touched. It was like the weapon had just disappeared on its own. Chrom was distraught, but accepted that perhaps it was needed somewhere else.

That was until a guard came in bearing a message delivered by magic. A man in plegian robes had been found lying in a field just outside Southtown. Chrom didn't bother to alert anyone else, and made straight for his horse.

To his surprise, Lissa and Frederick met him at the stables. Within a minute they were on their way out of Ylisstol to Southtown.

They rode all day, arriving in the village mid afternoon. A guard led them to a familiar location where they saw a white-haired man sleeping under a tree. Chrom knelt before the man, Lissa and Frederick standing behind him. As if on some cue, Robin's eyes flicker open.

"I see you're awake now." Chrom said, grinning wildly. "There are better places to nap then on the ground you know."

"Hey there." Lissa chirped, remembering her line.

Frederick just nodded, respecting the moment and not saying anything.

Robin took Chrom's hand, the mark on the back of his own was gone. There was another difference though, something Robin couldn't see but the others certainly could.

"Your eyes…" Chrom murmurs. "They've changed."

And so they had. His brown eyes had been replaced, and now had purple irises with black sclera. The colours were familiar. Naga had foretold that if Robin landed the final blow he would die, but Robin had still survived.

"Black and purple huh?" Robin muses, absently grabbing for a weapon that wasn't there. "Stringcutter pulled through one last time…"

"With all due respect Milord." Frederick says quietly. "We should be heading back. You have duties to take care of, and Morgan is back at the castle. She'll want to see her father alive."

"Right, of course." Chrom coughs. "Welcome home Robin."

"Thank you Chrom… it's good to be back."

* * *

 **I spent a while deciding what weapon Stringcutter should be. I wanted to avoid the main trio of melee weapons so I considered a kai, scythe, halberd (which I gave to Morgan), mordenkrad (which would need a different name than Stringcutter), and flail.**

* * *

 **SquidbaggerOfWoomyAndNgyesness** **:** That's the goal: to show interesting gimmicks and to inspire others.

 **SolidShinji104** **:** Good… because I'm not sure they'll be another pairing this entire collection so you'd grow to hate this real quick.


	6. Succubus Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

* * *

Robin always kept herself covered up. She never took off that massive coat of hers, usually kept the hood up, and always wore gloves. It was a shame really, Chrom knew she was incredibly beautiful to look at, but perhaps that was the point. Whenever Robin lowered her hood people would stare, and the less mature of them would immediately try to make advances on her.

That's why Chorm was honored that she felt safe enough to keep her hood off around him. It only happened when they were alone, usually while talking tactics or when they both did paperwork. At those times though, Chrom had to force himself not to look at her. They often had conversations where the prince stared at the wall just beside her head rather than looking her in the eye. If he _did_ look her in the eye for too long Chrom knew he would start to feel an urge to touch her, and he didn't want to make his friend uncomfortable.

He didn't know why it happened, but it wasn't just him. Chrom had seen Robin pry secrets out of a councilman once. The man had stared into her eyes the entire time; his usual eloquent words had devolved into a flustered stammer, and when he'd started to hold back information Robin had laid a hand on his shoulder and he spilled _everything_.

It was unnerving how easily Robin could manipulate someone just by showing her face, or by a touch even with those gloves on. Chrom trusted her though, she was always conscious of when he started to lose his train of thought and would pull up her hood for a minute so he could regain focus.

Because he couldn't look at her for too long Chrom had never studied her face. He knew she had long, straight, waist-length silver hair that was usually hidden in her coat, her eyes were a soft red, she had full, puffy lips, and her skin was pale. Chrom couldn't remember her face beyond those general details though. Studying her would always lead to staring, and he was trying _not_ to do that.

She was taller than him by about a head and a half, putting her on par with Frederick. Chrom couldn't guess her build, he'd never seen her without the coat.

When they'd first met Frederick had been suspicious of her. However Robin had soothed him (and Chrom and Lissa as well) with an alluring voice that made your head tingle pleasantly. It was no surprise Robin rarely spoke for the same reason she didn't show her face. The pleasant tingle wears off quickly, and Frederick had been even _more_ suspicious after that.

Robin did use her alluring appearance for something though. She acted as a soft interrogator, often speaking to high-ranking people and getting them to spill their secrets. If there was anything suspicious, Robin would question them on that. She only forced them to reveal everything they knew if she thought they were doing something wrong, she didn't like intruding on privacy too much.

Robin was also Chrom's friend. One of Chrom's many friends to be fair, but Chrom knew he was Robin's _only_ friend so he went out of his way to visit her daily. This usually took the form of tactics meetings or having her look over a particularly complicated set of papers for him (as she was much better with catching the small details) but even if he didn't have a good reason Chrom made it his job to talk to her.

That is what was happening right now. Chrom didn't have a good reason to visit, but he was determined to do it anyways.

" _Just pretend you thought there was a tactics meeting today._ " Chrom told himself, and then grimaces. " _Gods, I can't just say I'm visiting her like a normal person. Maybe it's just because it's Robin, but that makes me sound like I'm making excuses to be around her, and that's slightly creepy…_ "

If this were Sully or Sumia no one would question it, but Robin's attractive appearance made innocuous actions look like excuses. He could imagine Vaike accusing him of trying to 'cozy up' to Robin by visiting her.

Well, Vaike would probably say 'good on ya for getting a girl!' but that is besides the point.

Chrom reaches her door, quickly makes sure he looks presentable, and knocks twice. He hears footsteps behind it, and the door creaks open slightly to show Robin's covered form.

"Chrom." She says softly, her low voice is pleasing on the ears. "What is it?"

Tactics meeting or be genuine? Not suspicious or honesty? "I… had some spare time, so I came to visit."

"Oh." He can't see her face, and her voice doesn't give much away about what she's thinking.

"I mean, if you're busy I can just-"

"No, I'm not." Robin says.

"Ah right, well…" Chrom scrambles for something to say. "I'm mostly just checking on you. I know you spend a lot of time alone so…"

"I'm fine Chrom."

"Well, good, uh…"

"Did you have a plan Chrom?" He thinks she sounds amused.

"No" He admits sheepishly. "I just didn't want you to be alone in your room all day."

There's a pause for a moment, and Chrom doesn't know what she's thinking. He can't see her face. Slowly she pulls down her hood, giving him a glimpse of her alluring appearance before he politely averts his gaze. "I have an idea then. Have you ever played chess?"

Needless to say Robin decimates him, but it's an enjoyable afternoon for the both of them.

###

One day Chrom wakes up with a hole in his memory. He's in the infirmary, and when the nurse realizes he's awake she quickly calls for the doctor.

The man tells him that he was unconscious, supposedly hit by dark magic.

Frederick, who is the first one to visit along with Lissa, tells him more. There was an attack on the castle. Assassins. Frederick was standing guard over Lissa and Maribelle when they struck, and protected the two of them. Chrom was with Robin, and all Frederick knows is that Chrom was unconscious when Robin brought him here and that they had found the assassin dead with a sword wound on his chest. Oddly, the man was emancipated like a famine victim.

Chrom has no memory of the incident. One moment he was talking tactics in the war room, the next he was here in the infirmary. The doctor tells him he that he has no visible wounds, and that heal staves did nothing. The spell, if it truly was such a thing, was non-lethal. A sleep spell maybe.

Chom is suspicious. An assassin using a sleep spell? That seems counter-intuitive.

The moment he is allowed out of the infirmary Chrom goes to find Robin. It isn't hard, she actually came to find him after hearing he was awake. They run into each other in a hallway.

"You're up!" Robin sounds relieved. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine." He nods. "I came to ask you about what happened. I can't seem to remember anything."

"The assassin jumped us in the war room and hit you with a spell. I stabbed him through the chest and rushed you to the infirmary." She says simply.

"I owe you my life." Chrom says.

He can't tell what her expression is, as it's being hidden under the hood. "We're equal now. You gave me a life after being found on that field, and I gave you your life by saving it."

That seems fair." Chrom agrees. Without thinking, he holds out a hand. "Thank you."

Robin tentatively shakes it. Despite the glove her touch sends a small shock up his arm, Chrom remembers why he shouldn't touch her and hastily pulls back, apologizing.

###

Robin doesn't like camping. One or two nights isn't too bad, but after extended marches she starts to get anxious. When they get back to a town she always disappears, doing… something. Just like back at Ylisstol when she vanishes for an evening, Robin vanishes for a few hours before returning.

When the Shepherds go to visit Ferox, they travel for two weeks weeks with only quick stops for resupply. Robin grows increasingly restless, doing things she usually wouldn't. She starts eating more at meals, training constantly, and never has time to talk to with _anyone_ outside of tactics.

Chrom recognizes this sort of behaviour. It's what Sully does when she's nervous, she distracts herself with training, work, and generally anything that can grab her attention. Robin is doing the exact same thing.

One afternoon Chrom decided to put a stop to it. This behaviour isn't healthy. He decides he'll talk to Robin that night; alone so she doesn't have to worry about the judgement of others. A talk, one friend to another.

He wakes up next morning with no idea what happened that night. He remembers going to find Robin, and then nothing. Robin returns to normal that morning, and shows no signs of anxiousness for the rest of the march. Chrom is confused, but as long as Robin is fine he won't question it.

###

Ever since that march to Ferox Chrom has noticed that Robin has become much more comfortable around him. When they're alone she is quick to pull off her hood and doesn't hold back from speaking. Chrom is finding it increasingly hard not to stare or get lost in her voice, but is glad for her friendship.

One day while they discuss tactics, Robin puts her hand on his shoulder to grab his attention and points to a place on the map. The point she makes is mostly irrelevant, Chrom knows from the way she stares at him that this is a test. She's seeing how he reacts to her touch.

In truth the longer her hand stays on his shoulder, the less Chrom can focus. It's not as bad as looking at her but distracting nonetheless. He hides this the best he can, not wanting Robin to feel she can't engage in basic contact.

Eventually he loses focus, but Robin seems satisfied with the result. It embaresses Chrom to think that he can lose focus on something as important as tactics just because of someone's gloved hand resting on his shoulders for two minutes.

###

"So boss? What we gonna do with 'im?" The ruffian grunts, kicking Chrom in the side. The blue-haired boy doesn't have the energy to glare, and takes the hit silently.

They were ambushed. The brigands struck at night, and it was only because of Gaius' keen eyes that they were ready on time. The camp was still in chaos, but with everyone in armor they stood a marginal chance of fighting back.

Frederick had been glorious, cutting through three men at a time to try and reach Chrom. The prince, however, had yelled at him to get save Lissa, and through gritted teeth the knight had complied.

Chrom had been overwhelmed by the sheer number of foes. A solid smash to the back of the head had taken him down, and even now he could feel the throbbing headache.

"Gangrel wants 'im in one piece." The oldest brigand (grey hair, peg-leg, deep voice) says. "Don't kick the boy. He looks like he might fall o'er already."

The prince wasn't sure where he was now; this campsite in the woods might be anywhere.

"He deserves a good kick." Another bringand, a girl, barks. "Damn boy killed Johnathan."

"Randle too." The ruffian guarding Chrom growls.

"That's the nature o' war kids." The old brigand sighs, sounding tired. "Not everyone gets through. We won't get paid if he's broken, so hold yerselves back."

The brigands clearly don't like that, but they don't touch Chrom. Day breaks, and they travel a little. However the night time raid means they need some sleep, and the brigands stop to nap around noon. One man stays awake to guard Chrom right in the center of camp.

Chrom isn't sure how long he waits, but a noise in the brush eventually catches his (and the guard's) attention. The prince was expecting the full might of the Shepherds, but instead one solitary figure walks through the trees.

"What the-" The guard starts.

"Shh…" The figure purrs, bringing a pale finger up to their lips. Chrom notices the purple mark on the back of their hand denoting them as Grimleal. "Don't wake your friends." The voice is clearly Robin's which catches Chrom off guard. He didn't know about that mark.

"Wh-Who are you?" The guard asks in a hushed voice.

"An admirer…" Robin lies, pulling down her hood. The guard shapely breaths in, looking the girl up and down. "I've been watching you."

The lie is obvious, but the combination of flattery and Robin's unnatural allure works perfectly. She steps forward, hoping to get close, but the guard has enough presence of mind to react.

"St-Stop." He stammers, holding up his axe. "I'm sorry lady, but I got orders."

Robin's mouth puckers into a frown. "You don't want me?"

Chrom blinks in shock with how forward Robin is being. He doesn't like the idea of this brigand getting his fingers on Chrom's teammate. If it gets him free though…

"I-I..." The man stutters.

Robin decides to pull her trump card, and slowly, sensually, unbuttons her coat. In truth the outfit below is far from the most revealing thing Chorm has seen, Dancers show more skin, but the effect is still devastating.

The main body of her outfit is actually a unitard with a chest window (Chrom looks away the instant he notices that) and long boots that go all the way up her legs and leave an inch of skin open at her hips. At this point Chrom also realizes that her gloves are probably the same though she isn't wearing them at the moment. The material isn't sheer, but a thick fabric similar to Chrom's shirt.

The brigand stares, obvious lust in his eyes as Robin slowly sahsays forwards. As soon as she's close enough she extends her hands invitingly, pucking her lips.

Chrom always knew Robin had powers of manipulation, but he never realized until now how easily she could overwhelm someone if she wanted to. Even Chrom can't look away from her, eyes fixed on her face.

The brigand drops his axe, grabbing Robin into a forceful kiss… and then his muscles freeze and his eyes go wide.

The pleasant buzz in Chrom's head isn't enough to block out his horror as he watches the man's skin grow sallow and gaunt. Robin's red eyes glow as she catches the man's limp body and she pushes her lips harder against his, drinking the life from him.

Eventually Robin releases him and the man collapses to the floor. His eyes are glazed over, clearly dead, and Chrom can see the bones pushed against his taunt skin. The prince doesn't know much about demons, but he's heard tales of succubi before and he realizes now that Robin fits that definition to a T.

Chrom still can't look away when Robin's eyes finally meet his.

"Sorry you had to see that Chrom." The girl apologizes, kneeling down next to him. She pulls out her iron sword and cuts his bonds, then helps him to his feet. The touch of her skin on his sends a shudder up his body.

"Y-You're-"

"Shh…" Robin soothes. She snakes a hand behind his head and pulls him towards her. "Don't worry. You won't remember this…"

"What?" Chrom says, too weak to push back. He doesn't want to forget, despite his fear he trust Robin, she's his _friend_ , she shouldn't have to hide this. "Robin?!"

"Thanks for all you do Chrom." She whispers, coming nose-to-nose with him. "And thank you for the meal during the march to Ferox, though I suppose you don't remember that either."

That explains the blank spot in his memory. She must have 'drank' from him and wiped his memory that night.

"Now sleep." The girl breathes, and pushes her mouth against his. Chrom tries to fight, but the paralysis is instant. His mind starts to go fuzzy, a feeling of comfort overwrites his fear, and he quickly falls limp like the guard. The pleasant softness of the kiss numbs his headache, and quickly lulls Chrom into relaxation. As his vision fades into nothingness, Chrom's last thought is to regret Robin doesn't feel safe enough to let him know this.

###

"Yes."

Chrom blinked, positive he was hearing things. "Really?"

"Of course."

Chrom was in shock. He wasn't actually expecting Robin to accept. She rarely showed her face around other Shepherds much less people she didn't like, but she had just agreed to go to to the party Emmeryn had organized with him.

It was a party to 'encourage good relations' between council members and Chrom was 'encouraged' to attend. Going didn't require a date, but Chrom wasn't going to attend this thing without _someone_ there to keep him sane. Maybe it was selfish, but Chrom could only socialize with uptight, self-centered nobles for so long without going crazy.

"I- Well- Thank you." Chrom stammers.

"You sound like you expected me to refuse."

"I did." The prince admits. "I know you usually don't like showing your face to strangers…"

"Maybe, but I'll be going with _you_." The girl murmurs. "Besides, who knows what I'll get out of the council?"

Ah, right. Chrom had almost forgotten her talent for manipulation and prying information out of people. "Well don't embarrass too many people, you don't want enemies."

"I'll try."

Chrom barely pays the party any mind until the actual date. When he's going to get Robin though, the thought crosses his mind that he never mentioned the dress code. He supposes that her normal coat is enough, but berates his stupidity.

He knocks on her door, quickly checking his appearance. He feels a bit stupid in his blue overcoat and lighter tunic, but the formal dress code means that he can't wear his usual attire. Robin opens the door, and Chrom temporarily forgets how to breath.

It's not that her outfit is particularly attractive, it's just the way Robin fills it out. It's not the usual fashion of an elaborate dress with lots of ruffles, but a tight purple silk dress with a very low neckline and an ornate black shawl to cover up with.

Chrom can also tell with certainty that Robin is _not_ willowy and thin. Thick hips and a large bust fill out the dress. All of what would usually be hidden under her coat is now on display.

"Chrom." Robin says, poking him in the nose.

The prince tears his eyes off the dress. "Gods, sorry Robin."

"I expected it, no worries." Robin reassures. Chrom also realizes that she won't have anything covering her face. This is going to be difficult… but Robin's company is well worth it.

She also isn't wearing gloves, and the touch sparks Chrom's nerves while he leads her to the main hall. As they're walking, Chrom absently notes how he doubts anyone else could have gotten her company for the night. It makes him feel special, as if they're close.

At the party, Robin attracts a lot of attention. Noblemen, single and otherwise, eye her the entire time. Some openly lick their lips, and others have the audacity to ask her for her company despite it being very obvious that she's here with Chrom. Others politely ask for a dance, which Robin refuses.

Chrom politely greets and speaks with the council members as they approach, but is always relieved when they leave. Sometimes Robin bails him out of particularly long conversations (for which Chrom is _immensely_ thankful) by pressing herself posessively into his side and dragging him away. To others she must look like a lustful girl monopolizing the prince's time, but Chrom knows better.

Chrom would be lying if he didn't say it was incredibly distracting though.

He also notices how none of the younger noble girls are approaching him, and their mothers tend to glare at Robin. Chrom forgot about his suitors entirely until now, he never gave them any consideration anyways.

Emmeryn is overjoyed that he brought someone along with him, and Chrom has to quickly explain that Robin is here just to make the whole ordeal more bearable. Emm requests to speak with Robin for a few minutes and Chrom, for the first time that night, is pestered with requests to dance from the younger ladies of the court.

He is thankful when Robin returns, and shocked when she asked him for a dance herself. Aware of the jealous gazes but not really caring, Chrom agrees, and goes through the single most distracting dance he's ever dealt with.

It's not that Robin doesn't know what she's doing, she's surprisingly competent, but just like when she drags him away from conversations the girl has mashed her body up against his. Her shawl is draped over a chair somewhere giving Chrom an unobstructed view of her cleavage. Her taller stature doesn't help matters.

He, of course, tries to focus on her face. That poses it's own problems though, as they are nose to nose and her full puffy lips are only an inch away.

Chrom has no idea if this is intentional on her part or if it's just the way she learned to dance, but he's having trouble keeping his composure. Chrom is breathing heavy and struggling not to let his arousal show, but Robin is as calm and composed as ever.

The dance finally ends, and Chrom shakily moves back to his chair. Robin looks pleased as she sits next to him, and Chrom can see Emmeryn smiling at him from across the room.

Chrom didn't think Robin would _agree_ to dance, much less _ask_ him. He expected her to be wary of physical contact, but she'd been fine with her very close style of waltz.

Chrom also realized after the fact that he hadn't been leading the dance, Robin had been the one swinging them around. He probably looked stupid with a massive blush on his face while Robin did all the work.

Dinner was much less exciting and Chrom was thankful for that, it gave him time to recover. He and Robin sat next to Emmeryn, and Chrom sampled the large selection of pastries. Robin went straight for the meats and hummed whenever a particularly tasty forkful passed her lips.

The prince was glad she was enjoying this. Robin rarely spent time outside the barracks that wasn't devoted to fighting, so he was relieved she found something to like here. Admittedly it hadn't been his intent, but it was a nice result nonetheless. It was like she was a completely different person after that talk with Emmeryn though. Chrom wondered what she'd said to the girl.

The dancing music didn't return after dinner due to everyone being full. Many people tried to speak with Chrom and Robin, and they both entertained the nobles for as long as they could bear.

The later the night got the more drunk the guests were. Men started to make inappropriate advances on Robin, and she and Chrom quickly decided they should leave. They fled the party, bidding a quick goodbye to Emmeryn who nodded her understanding and gave Robin a small wink.

Chrom escorts Robin back to the barracks with his arm through hers. At her door, he politely says goodnight. The tactician rewards him with a light kiss that weakens his knees. Chrom hastily leaves after that, not able to keep his composure.

###

Robin's behaviour towards Chrom persists after the party. In public she is reserved as usual, but when they are alone Robin starts to be more touchy. When showing him something on a map she often puts a hand on his shoulder and points with the other hand, and she sometimes discards her coat on particularly warm days.

Chrom is glad she's comfortable around him, but it's horribly distracting. He knows that she is aware of her powers, so she must know what effect she's having on him. She's tolerant of his occasional stumbles, and even seems to find amusement in them. His occasional stares are similarly allowed, and Robin doesn't always act immediately to bring back his focus.

If Chrom isn't imagining things, he also thinks she has begun to flirt with him. She brushes up against him sometimes, and starts to seek _him_ out rather than the other way around.

But there is something strange that comes with Robin's attentions. Blank spots start to appear in Chrom's memory, usually near the evening. Sometimes the prince can't remember how he got back to his room, or Robin will wake Chrom up in the war room with him having no memory of an entire meeting that supposedly happened.

Chrom's sporadic memory starts to frighten him, and he consults with Miriel. She tells him in no uncertain terms that his memories are not gone, but merely suppressed. The question quickly becomes 'what is suppressing my memories?' which is something Miriel can't answer. Chrom is, however, perfectly healthy despite that.

The prince doesn't want to admit it, but he has a theory about his memory. Robin. Chrom has been spending some time in the library since he met her all those months ago, he is looking through historical records and compendiums on known humanoid races to find evidence of her abilities.

He's found only one that meets her description. Succubi have more powers than what Robin has showcased, but otherwise fit her abilities perfectly: physically attractive to the extreme, naturally drawing and keeping attention (regardless of their own volition), alluring voices, touches that slowly numb your muscles and muddle your thoughts (again, out of their control), and a variety of abilities tied to a kiss including, but not limited to: energy siphoning, energy gifting, reducing pain, forcing truth, inducing paralysis, sleep, or comas, memory blocking, and _mind control_. All of said things could also be done through _adult_ activities for further power.

Those abilities fit Robin so well. It explained why looking at her seemed to trap you into staring, it explained why she covered up so much (to reduce the effects and avoid physical contact), and it also explained the gaps in Chrom's memory.

Chrom assumed, hesitantly, that he either stumbled in on her using a recognizable power, or she was feeding on him. He guessed the latter based on how frequent his blackouts were now.

So one night, Chrom went to Robin's room determined to confront her. He wasn't going to kick her out, wasn't going to hurt her. He came unarmed for just that reason. He just wanted her to trust him, just wanted his memory. Chrom didn't care what she was, and she shouldn't have to hide it from him.

Knocking at her door was nerve-wracking, and Chrom's heart pounded in his chest. The door opened and Robin greeted him as usual. She didn't sense anything off. He asked to be let in, she agreed, and he sat on a spare chair in the corner.

"Robin." He says slowly, hands clenching and unclenching in his lap. He watches as she sits on her bed, discarding her cloak. "I have something to ask you…"

"What?" Her familiar red eyes meet his, gentle and inviting.

"You…" Chrom's throat is dry, but he forces it out. "Are a succubus, right?"

Robin freezes, her eyes widening. The prince rushes to explain.

"I was doing some research and found this book." Chrom babbles. "It was about different human-like things, and one of them was a succubus, and I realized it fit your powers really well and… and the memory loss I've been having."

"You know..."

"Well now that you confirmed-"

Robin lunges forwards, her arms snapping around Chrom's body as her weight knocks over the chair. He's on the ground with the girl looming over him, a frantic look in her eyes. "Sorry Chrom, I can't have you knowing."

"Wh- No!" Chrom shouts, struggling to push her off. He's strong, but Robin quickly pushes her mouth against each arm, paralyzing them. "Robin! I'm not here to threaten you!

"Gods, how much am I going to have to block?" Robin says to herself, pulling them upright. Chrom's face is shoved into her chest (seemingly an intentional act to subdue him further), and the haze starts to take over his mind. "A day? A week? Gods, please not a week."

"Robin!"

"I'm so sorry Chrom, I have to keep myself safe." She says, hugging him tightly. Her skin pressing against his starts to relax his muscles to the point they don't respond. "I can't have anyone knowing, especially not you. I _like_ you."

That sends a pang through Chrom's heart. She feels a need to hide _because_ she likes him? What does she think he's going to do if he knows? Out of half-numb lips he gasps: "Like. You. Too."

He can't see her face, but he can feel the sob that shudders through her. "Gods Chrom, you're making this hard…"

The prince is surprised when he's placed on the bed; half paralyzed, all numb. He fights to move as Robin rapidly paces.

"How do I do this?" The girl asks herself. "A day? Then longer if he comes back? No, no, he might expect me to do it then, he'll figure out I wiped his memory. It would be safer just to erase a lot… but I don't want to hurt him. He needs those memories."

Chrom is trying to move. His arms are still paralyzed from the kisses, so he focuses on his jaw. Talking is the best move he has right now, he needs something that might calm her down or at least convince her to listen. He can't form full sentences, but he doesn't need to. "Trust. You."

"What?" Robin looms over him. Her silvery hair pools in his face, but she brushes it off him. Her eyes have tears. "How can you trust me? I block your memories all the time!"

"Friends, right?" Chrom coughs, his throat finally starting to work properly. "I _always_ trusted you. Even now."

"Fuck." Robin curses, still crying. She drops down to her knees, planting her face into she sheets next to the prince. "Fuuuck."

"I didn't bring Falchion, because I didn't want you to feel threatened." Chrom explains, seeing a moment to present his case. The feeling is starting to return to his fingers. "I just want to talk, to understand. You're not being kicked out, I'm not exposing you. No one else knows."

Robin's head tilts up, and she looks him in the eye. "You're not lying?"

"I'm not. You're welcome to test me if you want." Chrom says firmly, remembering that she can force him to tell the truth.

"You know about that too?"

"I also know you can mind control." The prince admits. "The book told me a lot."

"I didn't know I could mind control." She mumbles. "Maybe I'll have to look at that book too."

Seeing her calm, Chrom takes a risk. "So are we good? No memory wiping?"

"A-Alright." Robin says with a shuddering breath. "And… and I'll give back your other memories."

Chrom holds back his excitement as the girl lowers her head towards his. Her soft lips make him shudder, and his thoughts grow hazy again. The actual kiss is only a few seconds, but Chrom can't properly focus for at least a minute. When he finally does though, he _remembers_.

He remembers way back during the trip to Ferox. He cornered her in her tent, asking what was wrong and why she looked so ill. He offered to help somehow, and she had _immediately_ jumped him. Afterwards (once he could form coherent words) they had talked in low tones, and Robin had soberly told him that she was going to block his memories. Chrom had tried to talk her out of it, but she refused. In the end he had told her, despite knowing he wouldn't remember, that she was always welcome to feed from him if she needed to.

She had kissed him again and he'd fallen asleep.

The next important time was the assassination. The assassin hadn't even gotten to Chrom, he had turned around at a noise to see Robin pinning the man to the floor with her mouth over his. Before Chrom's eyes the man had his life drained, reducing the assassin to a shriveled corpse. When he went to help her up, Robin had pulled his face to hers and he'd blacked out.

He remembered when he was captured by bandits, and how Robin had killed the guard before gently putting him to sleep.

The other times were all negligible (and all recent too); small feedings here and there, always with Robin asking if he had anything to do for the next few hours. The meetings he supposedly missed were all fake, a trick to get him alone so she could feed.

"Why?" Chrom asks. "Why are you feeding on me so often recently?"

"Well…" Robin seems embarrassed. "Because I don't _like_ the others I feed on. It's usually some drunk at a bar who won't make a fuss about not remembering the last night. You're much more pleasant, but I have to put in more work to hide it."

" _Had_ to put in more work." Chrom corrects. "You don't need to anymore, and that doesn't explain why you suddenly switched to me."

"We were getting closer." She mumbles. "It felt wrong to go around kissing others, so I changed to you."

"Ah." Chrom goes a bit red in the cheeks at that. "Well, uh, if it's any consolation, from what I can remember it was rather enjoyable."

"I'd hope so." Robin sighs. "So… what now? Do I have to go back to feeding from drunks?"

"No! I- uh- I mean if you don't mind me knowing about it." Chrom coughs. "You can keep feeding from me."

"I don't mind." She mumbles. "But… that means you'll be kissing me pretty often. Once a week at minimum."

"It's not like I have any suitors I care about offending." The prince reassures her. "I mean, uh… unless _you_ count."

"So you aren't oblivious…" Robin sighs in relief.

"I noticed, I was just cautious." Chrom coughs. "I wanted to sort out my memory loss before I did anything."

"Did anything?" Robin asks, a smile crossing her face. "Like what?"

"Er…" Chrom mumbles, embarrassed. "Flirt back…"

He's expecting her to tease him for his awkwardness, but her smile just gets wider. "Chrom."

"Yes?"

"I haven't fed in a few days…" Robin murmurs, grabbing the front of his shirt. Her red eyes sparkle in the candlelight and her soft lips pucker invitingly. "You're not busy, are you?"

###

The war with Plegia is over, and Ylisse rejoices. The news is swiftly accompanied by the news of a royal wedding, something possible now that peace reigns. The crown prince Chrom is marrying a plegian tactician by the name of Robin who helped to defeat Gangrel, and was responsible for many vital strategies during wartime.

Everyone else is excited, but Chrom is panicking. Everyone can see it, but Chrom refuses to tell them why. They poke and prod, but only at the last minute does Emmeryn (and only Emmeryn) learn what.

"You know Robin is a succubus, right?"

"Yes. You both told me months ago."

"Well I can't kiss her for more than a few minutes without collapsing-"

"Oh my."

"-which isn't really my problem." Chrom rambles, face flushed. "It's just..."

"Just…?"

"Er… _after_ the wedding I'm expected to do certain _things_." Chrom coughs. "And if I can't kiss her for more than a few minutes, how am I expected to…?"

"Ahh." Emmeryn nods in realization. She isn't embarrassed by the question. She's flattered her brother trusts her enough to mention this at all. "I wouldn't worry. She loves you, correct?"

"I certainly hope so."

"Then there won't be a problem." What Emm isn't telling him is that Robin has already talked to her about this as well. Robin was worried about taking advantage of her new husband while he literally can't raise a finger to stop her. "Just set boundaries beforehand. Robin probably already knows, and I doubt she cares how much you 'participate'."

"Right, right." Chrom says, taking a deep breath. "Thanks Emm…"

"Of course. I wish the best for both of you."

In the end Chrom's worries prove to be unnecessary. Robin shows him _thoroughly_ what a succubus can do, and they both enjoy the act despite Chrom's inability to move. Emmeryn's advice proves useful in the form of an upper limit, because Robin being a _sex demon_ means she doesn't have a natural stopping point.

Chrom is just glad he doesn't have to make public appearances the next day. His stiff, unstable walk would surely raise a few eyebrows.

* * *

 **There were three versions of this story. This is version two, and I decided it worked the best. It isn't what I originally imagined but it works pretty well. I'm still happy with this.**

* * *

 **SolidShinji104 :** Sorry if I worded that poorly, I just meant to say that you won't be finding another pairing here, not that I assumed you _only_ came to my story for that.


	7. ROBIN

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **Worked around Fanfiction dot net's weirdness and put in # to show scene shifts. There were** **asterisks before, but for some reason this website didn't like that and wiped them so nothing showed up between scenes.**

* * *

The idea of a golem stretched back to the ancient kingdom of Nohr. Stoneborn and Faceless they were called, constructs of rock and flesh. Faceless would go on to become Risen, magic masks being replaced with beetles, but the art of making Stoneborn would be lost…

Until Miriel discovered it. She made a functional Stoneborn in two months after discovering the art, and rapidly worked to improve the old designs.

Stoneborn were not as volatile as Faceless but were also far less mobile and less versatile. They were turrets for the most part, half-sentient catapults. Miriel wanted more. She wanted something equal to Faceless, but without the murderous impulses.

For three months she disappeared into her basement. She didn't leave for anything, and no one was allowed in.

Then the day came…

"Yes, well, if everyone is here." Miriel coughs, standing in front of the assorted Shepherds. "I present you the Replacement Operator for Battle, Ingenuity, and Negotiations. The R.O.B.I.N if you prefer."

Light footsteps clatter against the stone floor, and something emerges from the door behind her. It's a cloaked figure, adorned in Ylissian blues and golds. It's face is a mask of pale grey stone except for the blue gems that act as eyes. The R.O.B.I.N gives a stiff, unnatural bow to the group.

"That's so cool…" Lissa gasps. "Is it safe?"

"The R.O.B.I.N responds only to my command at the current time. In its default state, it is inactive. It will not move to harm anyone unless I say so." Miriel explains. "So yes, it is 'safe' as you say."

Chrom watched in fascination as Lissa walked up to the golem and said "hello!" in a cheery voice. The golem turned its head to watch her, not giving any other reaction.

"What can it do?" Frederick asks cautiously. "This creature is a modification of Stoneborn, yes? Surely it has combat capabilities."

"Indeed." Miriel nods, pushing her glasses further up her nose. "A demonstration then!"

They all move out to the training yard, and Miriel leads them over to the targets she and Ricken use for practice.

"Observe." The scholar says. "ROBIN, attack that target."

It's a simple command. ROBIN raises one hand, a secondary yellow gem in the palm glows brightly, and bolt of lighting snaps out to burn the center of the hay target.

"Admittedly it is not the strongest combatant." Miriel coughs. "ROBIN was designed to be a tactician first and warrior second. It's strength will improve over time, the adaptive mind I imbued it with should aid in that capacity."

"A tactician you say?" Chrom asks curiously.

"Indeed. I have implanted the knowledge of many book of war into ROBIN. However, this also requires improvement. It is paramount ROBIN learn and develop." Miriel explains. "I created a magical consciousness of sorts based off the human mind. He will learn like we do, but faster."

"Impressive." Frederick murmurs. "However, I should like to see that in action as well. Can it speak?"

Miriel purses her lips. "That is something I am yet to solve. I am in the process of studying the human vocal systems in order to determine what is needed to replicate speech. As of right now ROBIN can understand you but cannot respond."

The mage speaks a while longer about some of ROBIN's functions, and the demonstration ends. She requests the golem be allowed to observe them to learn, and Chrom agrees.

###

Chrom has taken to training ROBIN. The other Shepherds allow the golem to watch, but avoid interacting with it. Chrom remembers how Miriel claimed it learned as people did, and knew that the best way to learn was to _do_. So that was why he and the golem were standing on the packed dirt holding blunted wooden swords.

The first several rounds were quickly won by Chrom. ROBIN had no finesse, a bad stance, and no concept of how to swing a sword. That slowly started to change as they fought more and more. Chrom started to speak as they fought, explaining his actions to the golem. Sometimes the prince fought slowly, so as to give the golem time to process.

It worked. In two weeks ROBIN was still not a _good_ swordfighter, but was an acceptable novice. Stance was the biggest issue for the golem, the idea that it had to position its body a certain way to fight better was hard for it to grasp.

Strictly speaking the golem still only took commands from Miriel, but it listened to Chrom when he spoke and never refused an offer to spar. ROBIN started to follow him around; even when Chrom did paperwork the golem would stay in the same room. It looked out the window, watching as the Shepherds sparred and trained outside while Chrom went through stacks of papers.

Sometimes it even fetched Chrom things when he asked, like a new quill or more ink. The other Shepherds thought it unnatural, but Chrom liked having ROBIN around.

###

"Seriously Chrom, it's like that thing is your new best friend." Lissa chuckles, sitting on the sidelines as Robin (Chrom insisted on spelling it like an actual name) and her brother sparred. It had been a month since Robin was revealed, and the princess swore Chrom spent more time training the golem than he did home at the castle.

"He's quite personable when you get to know him." Chrom jokes, blocking a clumsy strike from Robin. The prince also insisted that Robin was a 'he' due to the design of the mask.

"It's not a person you know. It isn't human."

"How do you know he isn't a person?" Chrom counters. "The taguel aren't human, and neither are manakete. Does that mean the Voice isn't a person?"

"You're being ridiculous." Lissa chuckles. "It's made of _rock_ Chrom."

The prince scowls. He thrusts his blade at Robin who awkwardly deflects with its own. "So? What if he really is and you just hurt his feelings?"

The princess snorts. "Gods, you're pouting over a golem."

"I happen to like this golem." Chrom pouts.

Lissa rolls her eyes and stops arguing the point. She for one, thinks its stupid to think of this thing as a person. Chrom has always been overly attached though, he even calls his sword by name.

Seriously, she knows it's mythical and whatnot, but who actually calls their weapon by name?

###

"It is finished." Miriel says, emerging from her workshop. "The golem is undamaged, the installation went perfectly."

Chrom is relieved to hear it. He didn't expect anything to go wrong, Miriel is far too intelligent not to anticipate problems and have solutions, but he couldn't help worrying anyways. "That's good to hear."

"In fact…" The mage murmurs, pushing her glasses up and grinning a bit. It's the telltale sign that she's proud of something. "Perhaps you'd prefer to hear it from ROBIN directly?"

Robin walks out of the room, and there are a few notable changes. The mouth now clearly has a hinge on either side, and even as he walks Robin is clearly testing the new addition. It's a bit unnatural to watch Robin's new mouth open far wider than any human could manage, and on the inside Chrom can see a small, flexible, wooden protrusion, apparently acting as a tongue. "Oh… ahn… Com…" Robin says, his voice having a slight echo.

"It may take a while for him to learn to use his new additions." Miriel coughs. "But they are functional! I also took the liberty of modifying his joints. They are more nimble now, better adapted for swordplay. I did not expect anyone to be teaching him such a thing, but it is _heartily_ encouraged for research and practical purposes."

Chrom is overjoyed, and spends the next three hours trying to get Robin to speak a proper word.

###

"Chrom."

The echoey voice is familiar by this point, and the prince looks up from his papers at Robin. "Yes Robin?"

He knows Robin isn't actually asking for anything. The golem has a tendency to say something just for the sake of getting a reaction. Miriel thinks it's practicing and making sure the words mean what he thinks they mean.

Chrom sort of wishes it wouldn't say his name so much though. It's by far the most common word Robin utters.

The golem stares at Chrom, his blue gem eyes unblinking as always. He doesn't say anything else and turns back to the window, watching the Shepherds fight. The prince rolls his eyes and goes back to his paperwork.

###

"Thrust, parry, sidestep, parry, riposte!" Chrom says, instructing Robin through the drill. The prince's own practice sword swings and blocks in time with the calls as the two go through the scripted fight. "Overhead, thrust, parry, strike, double!"

The shorthands aren't what the military would use, they're a system of Frederick's own devising. It's much simpler and easier to follow, and encourages improvisation and quick reactions. The vague commands like 'strike' and 'parry' make for personalized responses. That's not to say Frederick didn't ever teach Chrom to parry, but Chrom's way of doing it is different from Stahl's (who flicks his sword quickly as the strike is about to land to deflect it, rather than catching the blade with his own like Chrom does).

Robin opts to abuse his golem body, having no fear of fingers being cut off, and often blocks with his sword in one hand and grabs the enemy's weapon with the other. If they weren't doing a drill Chrom would have been disarmed after Robin's first parry.

In normal combat Chrom is much faster, and Robin is still yet to beat him. However the golem is approaching the level where Chrom is considering taking him on a mission. Risen are starting to run rampant, and an extra man would be quite useful. Robin's tactics are solid as well (though they're yet to see field use) and a skirmish with some weaker Risen would be a perfect time to test out his abilities.

Chrom proposes this to Frederick and Miriel, who both agree a test can be allowed.

###

Robin has enough mastery over speech to give simple commands, but relies more on the written plans he makes beforehand. They allow the golem half an hour of observing the Risen to make a plan, and Robin scribbles frantically the entire time. In the end they don't get to see most of the notes the golem makes, but the map it created is impressive. There are small arrows all over the map, noting strategies and backups, but Robin explains in broken words that the main strategy is just a long-range barrage of arrows and spells with Frederick, Kellam, Sully, and Stahl acting as a wall if they charge. The rest of the Shepherds will wait until the Risen charge those four, and then flank the monsters in a pincer.

The Risen are weak enough that the Shepherds could have all just charged and killed them without effort, but they follow the plan anyways. Virion, Miriel, Ricken, and Robin himself shoot down the Risen, and when the creatures charge the wall the rest of the Shepherds jump in on the flanks, effortlessly killing the monsters.

The fight goes well enough that they agree to let Robin act as tactician again, and from then on Robin trains his tactical skills on small roving bands of Risen using whatever Shepherds are available. The plans are usually simple, but it is noticeable how Robin makes an effort to diversify his plans and not use the same ones over and over. In this low-stakes environment the golem is testing, being creative.

That being said, Robin is cautious. The instant something seems to be going wrong it reverts back to tried and true strategies to prevent serious injury to the Shepherds.

###

"Good morning Chrom." Robin says flatly. The golem follows the prince as he moves to the training grounds.

"Morning Robin." Chrom greets. "I've got a big announcement today, can you get everyone to the training grounds for me?"

"Yes."

Everyone assembles in front of Chrom, sitting on logs and benches or leaning against the wall. The prince clears his throat and speaks. "Emmeryn has tasked us with a diplomatic mission to Ferox. Now, this mission is strictly voluntary-"

"Me!"

"I'm in."

"Count me in Captain!"

"I shall accompany you."

"The Vaike is ready to go!"

"I-I want to come to…"

Chrom smiles. He never expected anything else. "Good. We leave tomorrow, so anyone that needs anything should get it today. That being said, take today off. We've got a long march ahead of us."

The prince dismisses everyone, and they leave to go do various things. Stahl mentions buying tonics, Lissa chatters excitedly with Sumia about all the books they'll need to keep from getting bored, and Miriel murmurs something about new opportunities for science.

Robin, however, has a question. "Am I to stay here?" He asks, monotone as ever.

"I…" Chrom frowns. "I don't know. You're doing well, and it's not like I'm worried about you dying, but in the end it's Miriel's call. I don't have authority over you."

Robin nods, showing no other reaction.

In the end, Miriel allows Robin to come along. It's a learning experience, as Robin's stone form has trouble with mud and sometimes gets stuck. He fares a lot better in the snowy terrain due to not feeling the chill.

The battle at the Longfort was unplanned, but Robin had a strategy for it anyways. He calmly gave orders to brute-force one side and hold off any attack from the rear by using the stairs as a choke-point. He abused the fact that the Shepherds actually had mages to barrage the armor knights without ever getting closed to them, and even defeated the commander by sniping her with one of his own lighting bolts.

The guards let them in after that, apologizing profusely.

###

The loud "crack!" of something splitting stone grabs Chrom's attention. His head whips around to see the berserker standing over Robin lying unresponsive at his feet. The golem's head in broken, shattered into pieces by the man's hammer.

The berserker is killed within seconds. Falchion's point sliding straight through the man's chest. The prince mercilessly slaughters the nearby foes, calling for Miriel.

The mage responds quickly, running over while throwing out fire spells. She quickly kneels down next to the golem, grimaces, and picks up the blue gems that were his eyes and removes the smaller yellow ones from his hands.

Chrom stands over the two as Miriel forces the body apart, removing a large purple orb from Robin's chest. The prince knows that the purple orb _is_ Robin. If the orb survives, Robin's 'mind' survives and a new body can be made.

Miriel pockets the gems and flees to the backlines. Chrom turns Falchion on the plegians once more, determined to end this quickly.

###

"Unusual." Robin notes, twisting his new arms. The upgraded design of his body allows for more human-like movement rather than the stiff but efficient movements of before. His face is also redesigned, having functioning eyelids, hidden hinges for the mouth, and carefully sculpted mirrors overtop his eye-gems to give the appearance of actual eyes. "I have many aesthetic additions."

He looks less like a statue and more like a stone doll. The look is uncanny, but Chrom thinks it's a big improvement. The golem now has makeshift hair created from strands of silk which add to the doll-like appearance.

There was little changed about his combat capabilities. Miriel admitted that such modifications would require reprogramming his gem to accept more inputs, which had a significant chance of erasing his memories. She left it to Chrom to decide and there was no way the prince was going to erase his friend, even to improve him.

And yes, Chrom would unabashedly call this golem his friend.

"Chrom, what are these additions for?" Robin asks.

"We realized that there's a good chance you'll continue to function past wartime." Chrom explains. "So we wanted to give you an appearance that's more… human. Well, you look more like a doll, but it isn't as off-putting as the statue look you had before."

"Existing in peacetime? What will I do then?" Robin asks curiously. "I don't have a protocall for such things."

"You'll have to choose for yourself." Chrom shrugs. "You're pretty much done being changed from now on. Miriel has no plans to order you around anymore, you're too independent. It's up to you what you do after the war. There are some things that might be problematic, but I'm sure we can work around them."

Robin falls quiet, thinking. Chrom doesn't disturb him during the walk back to the barracks.

###

The war ends with Gangrel's death. Peacetime follows, and everyone returns to their homes to enjoy time with family. Robin stays at the castle, spending lots of time in the library reading various books. History and any sort of craft (smithing, woodworking, etc...) seem to be his preference, maybe because they contain practical information.

The golem does still read literary books ('story' books if you prefer), but admits to Chrom one day that he can't wrap his head around romance novels. If he does go for a story book, Robin usually sticks to mystery.

In short: the golem doesn't have a goal or job in peacetime, he contents himself with reading and learning. Robin often spends days inside the library, having no need to eat, drink, or sleep. Whenever he drops by, the library workers often tell Chrom of the strange questions Robin asks about simple concepts like 'happiness', or how they'll find him in the same place for an entire week with only the shifting stack of books to indicate any change.

Chrom is just glad Robin found something to do.

###

"From Valm?" Emmeryn asks with a frown. "That does not bode well…"

"Unfortunately." Rami says with a grimace. "We spotted their warships approaching weeks ago, at this very moment they should be hitting shore. I was sent to request Ylissian aid against the incursion."

"We will provide it of course." Emmeryn says immediately. "The Shepherds will return with you while I organize the army."

"Of course, thank you Lady Emmeryn." Rami says, bowing.

Chrom rushes to summon the Shepherds, and they assemble within two days. Maribelle is the last to arrive, riding over from the dukedom of Themis. By the time Maribelle has arrived, the Shepherds are ready to march.

As the last supplies are loaded and everyone is doing last minute checks, Miriel pulls Chorm and Robin aside.

"Captain." The mage says, pushing up her glasses. "Before we leave, there is something- some _one_ I must introduce you to. I was hoping she could come along with us."

A girl, only coming up to Chrom's chest, peers out from behind Miriel. She has white hair, blue eyes, and a cloak similar to Robin's.

The slight glow of her eyes from the gems behind the lense is the only giveaway that she isn't human.

"Allow me to introduce the Military Operations Research Golem Advisor and Notable." Miriel says dramatically.

"But you can call me Morgan!"

* * *

 **Morgan's name turned out better than Robin's. Overall, I like how Robin's questionable emotional state is shown. You never know if he's emoting or not. There's probably a lot more complex moral questions I could address here, but that's not really my style.**

* * *

 **Zero kami no mu** **:** You're more than welcome to make a suggestion, but there isn't a guarantee I'll put out a chapter for it. Some ideas I will just have difficulty making a chapter out of due to my own inexperience.

 **UmiNight Angel Neko :** I should have just made this a compilation of random _fire emblem_ short-stories and not just based on Robin because I would _love_ doing more with that idea. Maybe I will one day…


	8. Hairweaver Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **Admittedly this chapter has a lot less to do with the gimmick (controllable hair) and more to do with Robin's personality. Still, I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

"Come on Chrom, don't I get a kiss for that?" The purple-haired girl teases, leaning forwards. Her long hair moves on its own to coil around the prince's arms. Robin taps her lips with a finger, grinning. "Lay one on me."

Robin seems determined to put him in uncomfortable situations, and Chrom doesn't know why. At least they aren't pranks though. "Well done as always Robin." The prince coughs, freeing his hands and turning away. "Now I have to do uh… paperwork! Yes, lots of paperwork."

"I can hel-"

"You enjoy your victory Robin. I have work to do."

The girl pouts. "You'll give in one day Chrom! You know you will!"

Chrom knows Robin isn't actually disappointed. Her hair is a dead giveaway. For some inexplicable reason Robin can manipulate her hair like so many extra limbs and it reacts to what she's feeling. When she's sad it droops, when she's happy it floats, and when she's feeling amused or impish it slightly reaches out towards the target. The hair is three times the length of her body, and often twines around her form and through some loops attached to the back of her coat to stop from dragging along the floor all the time.

Chrom's first introduction to that particular quirk had been the girl pinning him to the ground as soon as she woke up. Despite what you might assume about hair it's actually quite strong, Chrom didn't have the strength to break free.

Frederick had been convinced she was some sort of demon. Chrom had talked him down, the girl was clearly confused. He remembered firmly telling Frederick that "Robin can stay with us if she wishes. I won't abandon someone in need, no matter how unbelievable their story."

Chrom just hadn't counted on the teasing.

###

"Come on Chrom, you know you want it." Robin says. "All you have to say is 'yes' and I'll do it~!"

" _If she had just done it without asking, I wouldn't refuse._ " Chrom thought with a sigh. "I'm fine Robin."

"But you _waaaant_ it! I know your muscles must be aching after training with Freddy. A massage would feel really good!" She taunts while wiggling her fingers.

There's something that feels off about saying 'yes, please do' that Chrom doesn't like. It's as if he's giving in, _submitting_ to Robin, and that puts him on edge. "I'm perfectly alright without your assistance."

"Well yeah, but you'd be even better off _with_ my assistance." She says tantalizingly. Some of her hair slither across the ground, loosely coiling around his legs. It's so subtle Chrom wouldn't have noticed if he wasn't so attentive to her movements. The rest of her massive head of hair is curled in a loose semi-circle towards him, and Chrom feels that if he took a step forward it would all snap around him.

"Undoubtedly, but I must decline." Chrom coughs, stepping back. "Thank you Robin."

The prince leaves and walks somewhat stiffly back to the castle. The soreness of his legs and back make him immediately regret not taking up Robin's offer, but he preservers knowing the girl is watching him walk away and he'll look quite the fool if he turns back now.

###

Hair isn't usually a weapon. Well, not a weapon of _war_. Robin however, takes full advantage of her unusual ability. When going into battle she often threads her purple hair through multiple shields and ties daggers to the ends. She acts like mobile cover, using her armored hair to block shots and shield allies while simultaneously throwing spells through her hands. Even Chrom will admit it's quite an intimidating sight to see Robin on the battlefield; she's a one-woman shield wall.

And this isn't even _touching_ her dueling power, which doesn't even use the shields and daggers. The ability to manipulate a dozen ropes of hair and throw spells at the same time is more than almost any opponent can handle. Even Frederick has difficulty against her, though Robin is yet to win that match.

Chrom has seriously considered _not_ sparring with her anymore. A training sword is laughably weak against her hair, he can't use a real sword or they'd be at risk of cutting it, and Robin doesn't even need her tome to win. She just takes a few steps forwards and pins him to the floor. Getting within a few meters of her is instant defeat.

Robin seems to find it funny though, and frequently challenges him to spar. He accepts out of politeness, but forty defeats later and he still hasn't figured any way to _fight_ her, let alone beat her.

The way she can beat him without any effort always sends a flicker of fear through Chrom's chest when it happens. It's different from losing to Frederick, at least Chrom can fight back against him, but against Robin he may as well be a puppy attacking a bear.

It doesn't help that she tends to drag it out, restraining him up little by little and giggling the whole time. He'd call her sadistic, except Robin never actually hurts him. She's the only person he can spar with and never suffer a single bruise.

Maybe a fly against a spider is a better analogy.

He sees her spar with just her tome against others, but when it comes to him she _always_ uses the hair. Chrom doesn't know why. Is there some reason he doesn't get to be on equal footing? Is there some reason why she refuses to lose to _him_ and no one else?

"Having fun Chrom?" Robin asks, grinning mockingly. She's sitting back on a chair of her own hair as Chrom struggles against his bindings. "Why is it you'll accept my offers to fight you but not anything else? You have some kink I should know about?"

Chrom scowls, still not able to figure anything out. He can't use his weapon against the hair, it'll just get tangled and taken, but if he tries to run in he'll get attacked from all directions. There's no good solution! Sometimes he wished he had a lance like Frederick for the extra range. This is a pointless fight, why did he agree to this _again_? He knew he was going to lose.

"Ooh, that's a serious face." The girl giggles, playing with the wooden sword she had taken from him. "Did I touch a soft spot? You can tell me Chrom, I won't tell."

"It's not a kink Robin." The prince sighs, not bothering to struggle anymore. "Let me out."

"Give me a kiss." Robin says cheekily. "Then you can go."

Again with the kiss. "No."

"Well I'm not letting you go then." She sings, moving over to sit down in front of him. "I hope you didn't have any plans."

"You already know I don't. That's the entire reason we're sparring." Chrom says, deadpan.

"Well don't waste our time then, just kiss me." Robin taunts. She licks her lips slowly, tantalizing the restrained boy. "Come on, it'll be good."

The prince shifts in mild embarrassment. He's glad no one else is watching them. " _No_ Robin."

"Just a quick one?" She asks, grinning. Her voice switches to deep and thick. "Or maybe you'd prefer a really long, deep, _sensual_ one? I'll allow that too."

Chrom is silent.

"Or maybe you want _me_ to kiss _you_?" She asks in a husky whisper, leaning in close. Chrom keeps a straight face, but having the girl so close sets his senses on high alert. "Just ask, I'll do it."

" _Would she really?_ " Chrom asks himself. The boy is tempted; he likes Robin, she's a good friend despite the teasing, but does he really want to kiss like this?

Maybe.

"Ahh, you're considering it!" Robin purrs. Her purple eyes, matching the hair, twinkle with excitement. "Come on, say the words. Say 'kiss me'."

Chrom's mouth trembles. Slowly, nervously, he takes a breath and sa-

"Chrom!" Lissa's voice shatters the moment. "Are you here? Sully said you and Robin were training! Is she flir- uh, is she _bothering_ you again?"

The tactician groans, releasing Chrom from her grasp. Her hail pulls back, draping over her arms and wrapping around her body in the usual resting position. She stands up, offering the prince a hand, and the two of them walk over towards Lissa's voice.

Before they turn the corner, Robin leans in close to Chrom's ear. "We'll continue this another time." She murmurs. Then she surprises the boy by tugging on his earlobe with her lips for a moment before quickly pulling away with a grin.

Chrom tries to keep the blush off his face as Lissa skips into view.

###

War has arrived. Gangrel tries to take Emmeryn during the talks at the border.

Ricken and Virion are instrumental in the following battle, striking down wyverns with bows and wind magic alike. Frederick, Sully, and Stahl were useful in breaking the enemy lines with cavalry charges.

Robin though, the purple-haired girl is the lynchpin. Her shield-adorned hair acts as the wall that protects her squishier teammates. She acts as a safe point for the front line to hide behind. Vaike, Chrom, Kellam, Donnel, Lon'qu, all of them retreat back to Robin when injured to be healed up by Lissa and Maribelle.

Sumia and Cordelia don't find much use in the fight. The tough wyvern riders and their strong axes are a hard counter to fast but frail pegasus knights and their accurate but weak lances. The two girls circle around the Shepherds' backline, occasionally swooping down to dispatch foot soldiers that manage to sneak around to Virion and the mages.

That's not the important part though. The border fight is just a prelude. Emmeryn has her hands full with the council and internal politics so Chrom took it upon himself to deal with the military reports, requests, and organization.

The Ylissian military is pitifully small, so Chrom is also responsible for dealing with the Feroxi that come to support Ylisse. He takes it in stride, keeping up his usual demonor of confidence and determination, but there is only so much the prince can take...

###

Robin is patient, but she's thinks abandoning her plan might be for the better. The stress of the constant raids and the political turmoil is getting to Chrom, the girl notices how haggard and tired he looks. He trains more, spends more time in council, is always swamped with paperwork, and almost all his time with her is spent planning.

Her teasing actually has a purpose, it wasn't just to get a reaction out of the boy (though that was amusing as well). Robin was trying to get Chrom to realize he could relax around her, be that through asking for or offering kisses and massages, or through her playful but dominating sparring sessions where she tried to push the idea that he was safe even when completely at her mercy.

Chrom never broke though, always refusing even when he clearly wanted to give in. Robin wasn't sure if it was pride or just a subtle fear of letting someone be in control of him. Robin suspected the latter, as all her teasing revolved around the idea of Chrom _not_ being in control of the situation and just _relaxing_.

With the war starting though, they didn't have the luxury of keeping up the dance they'd been moving to these last few months. Chrom _needed_ to relax, even if he didn't realize it, and Robin slowly breaking down his resistance with teasing wasn't feasible anymore. Chrom needed relief _now_ ; which meant Robin would have to be direct about her intentions.

That's why she was at his door. She knew he had just finished training, and that he was going to retire soon for the night. It was the one time he should be relaxing as all the important paperwork and planning was already done, so Robin decided this was the time she'd confront him. If he _wasn't_ relaxing now, then he should be, so really the timing was perfect.

She raises a hand and knocks on the door. She hears muffled walking and the door quickly opens. "Robin. What is is?"

"Can I come in Chrom?"

"Uh… alright?" He steps aside, confused, and allows Robin inside.

Robin has only been in this room once or twice. She's never really had a reason to be. The sheer number of swords adorning the leftmost wall is staggering. This must be Chrom's sword collection that he oh so infrequently mentions. It amuses Robin that someone with a legendary weapon on their hip still collects mundane blades to display. She can spot a Chon'sin katana (known as a 'killing edge' on Archanea) and a Valmese armorslayer, as well as the so-called 'noble rapier' from Roseanne.

"So, erm, what is it Robin?" Chrom asks as he closes the door behind them.

"You." Robin says, turning and pointing at the boy. "You are 'it' Chrom."

"Pardon?"

"I've been trying to get you to relax for the last few months and you've been fighting me every inch of the way." The tactician huffs. She crosses her arms and her hair waggles a strand (like a finger) disappointedly at the prince. "Its too much to ask that you just trust me huh?"

"I'm not sure I follow." The blue-haired boy coughs. "All I've noticed is you trying to make a fool out of me since we found you outside of Southtown, and I _do_ trust you Robin."

"Make a fool out of you?" Robin asks, raising an eyebrow. "Chrom, how is offering a massage making a fool out of you?"

"I mean the other things more than that…"

"What? Asking for a kiss? Oh no, I'm asking for you to show _physical affection_ , how mortifying." The girl snorts.

"Erm…" Chrom coughs, realizing just how poorly his argument was being made. "What about the sparring then? What justification do you have for that?"

"I'm not really trying to make a fool out of you." Robin says slowly. She takes a moment to remember her reasons before speaking. "Though I can see why you might think that. I just want you to feel safe is all. If I show I'm stronger than you it means you can relax when I'm around because _I_ can do the protecting… or at the very least you don't have to worry about me."

"Truly?" Chrom asks, blinking in surprise. "I never considered that."

"Admittedly though I considered all my teasing attempts to 'break' you. To try and get you to give in to _something_ so you'd relax for once." She takes a few steps forward and pokes him in the chest. "And you _need_ to relax sometime. You're running yourself ragged lately."

"War is a busy time-"

"And no excuse to kill yourself with training, paperwork, and stupid council meetings where nothing ever gets done." Robin scoffs. "And that's why I'm here. I'm gonna _force_ you to relax if I have to."

"Well no problems there." Chrom says, taking a seat on the bed. His shoulders droop as he rubs his eyes. "I'm far too tired to do anything _but_ relax right now."

"Well that's great and all, but you need to relax _more_." Robin pouts. "Not just at the end of the day. You can't stress all day and then go to bed worrying about what's happening tomorrow."

"How do you know me so well?" The prince asks with a tried smile.

"I pay close attention to a lot of stuff." Robin shrugs. "It's literally my job. People, supplies, tactics..."

"Of course, and I thought I had a lot to focus on." Chrom sighs. "You have just as much as me."

"Yeah, and you don't see me looking all tired all the time." Robin says pointedly. "So next time I offer you a massage or something, I expect you to accept!"

"I…" The boy hesitates.

"Chrom." Robin crosses her arms and waves a few strands of hair at him threateningly. "Don't make me pin you down and force you to accept. I can and I will."

"Alright…" Chrom sighs. His eyes meet Robin's. "But _not_ during sparring. I'm not 'surrendering' to you."

The girl's mouth widens into a crooked grin. "Keep telling yourself that. I'll get you eventually."

###

"Robin…"

"Chrom, this is _not_ the first time you've had your shirt off in front of me. Stop freaking out."

"You walked in on me!"

"You first, and for the record (since you ran before I could say anything) I didn't make a big deal out of it like you are _right now_."

Chrom grumbles under his breath and nervously lifts the clothes over his head. It's not the first time he's been shirtless in front of a girl, and not the first time in front of a girl that isn't Lissa or Emmeryn, but in front of Robin he feels _vulnerable_ , and it unnerves him. "J-Just…"

"I'm not going to hurt you Chrom." Robin huffs. "Seriously, who do you think I am?"

The girl lays her hands on his shoulders and Chrom tenses. The hairs on the back of his neck stand on end and a shiver goes down his spine. "L-Look, maybe this wasn't such a good idea." He stammers, suddenly rising to his feet. "I appreciate the offer Robin but-"

The prince tries to step away but, unbeknownst to him, Robin had bound his legs with her hair the moment he sat down. There is no way for him to run. "Chrom. Sit."

Reluctantly, nervously, the blue-haired boy sits back down between her legs. Her thin, delicate, fingers find their way to his back again. Slowly but firmly she presses into his muscles. The hours of training he had done today left him aching, and he had only stopped because Frederick, yes the same training junkie Frederick that was famous for his fitness hour, told Chrom he needed to stop.

Remembering what Robin had insisted on, Chrom had reluctantly found the girl in her office and asked if she wouldn't mind helping ease his aches. Robin's face had lit up like he'd just given her present, and Chrom had _instantly_ felt worse about putting his body in her hands.

"Just relax Chrom. We're trying to get rid of the tension, not generate more." Robin scolds. "I'm not going to hurt you."

The prince takes a breath and _forces_ himself to calm down. It's not true relaxation, but-

"Chrom. I know you're faking."

Gods, Robin was too perceptive. "I'm sorry Robin, but this puts me on edge."

"That's fine. I guess it'll take will take a bit to get used to." She murmurs. "Let's try anyways. It's hard to stay tense for extended periods of time, at some point you'll naturally relax."

Over the next half an hour Robin slowly works on him. She digs her knuckles into his shoulder blades, digs her thumbs into his lower back, and kneads his shoulders and upper arms. The girl moves slowly and methodically, as if to avoid startling him.

"Did you learn to do this recently?" Chrom asks quietly after a while of this.

"Yeah. Picked it up from Sully a few months ago, she showed me how." Robin murmurs. "She knows a lot about muscles and whatnot."

They fall into silence. There isn't really much to talk about. Chrom eventually relaxes enough to enjoy it. He's paying so little attention that he he nearly falls over, and he would have if it weren't for Robin's hair keeping him upright.

"That's more like it." Robin giggles after that happens. "I've got you Chrom. I'll catch you."

It's embarrassing for Chrom to show just how tired he is, but nonetheless he's thankful to have Robin helping. Maybe he thinks, Robin was right and he could accept her help to relax a bit more often.

###

"Come on Chrom." The purple haired girl taps her lips, grinning. "Surely that's enough for a reward, right?"

Chrom is very aware of Lissa and Emmeryn in the background, watching this exchange with wide smiles. They'd just saved Emm from execution at Gangrel's hands thanks in no small part to Robin's quick thinking to deal with the Risen archers. A dust storm with wind magic was not something Chrom would ever have considered himself.

So perhaps he was high on emotion, perhaps it was the encouraging smile of Emm in the background, but Chrom gave in for once and quickly, lightly, pecked Robin on the lips.

Her hair and hands immediately snap around his head, turning the quick smooch into a long, deep, passionate kiss. The giggling of Lissa behind them was promptly ignored by the two.

When they pull away, Chrom breathing heavy, Robin pokes him on the nose and says: "I remembered what you wanted~!"

Chrom recalls that moment from training when he almost gave in, and blushes.

###

Knowing he could go to Robin to relax made Chrom's life a lot easier. Suddenly he had these little pockets of enjoyment in his otherwise stressful day. He also starts to go out of his way to make sure the relaxation is mutual. He doesn't want to be taking and never giving.

Robin starts to do things spontaneously. Sometimes she surprises him out of nowhere, tackling him with a hug or suddenly pulling him into a kiss without warning. The incredible reach she has with her hair means that Chrom can, and frequently is, pulled in from quite a distance for her surprises.

And Chrom is finding he doesn't care. It's _touching_ to have someone who unabashedly showers him with affection, and who he can show affection to in return.

Affection? That's probably too tame a word. Love maybe, or the beginnings of it. When the two announce after the war their plans to be married, Lissa's first words are: " _Finally_ Chrom. Jeez, it took you forever to get your act together."

Chrom scowls and Robin laughs. Everyone else has already told them the exact same thing. Chrom was hoping his sister would at least have something else to say.

In the end, only Emmeryn doesn't mock Chrom for his reluctance.

* * *

 **This chapter ended up different than I expected. I had originally abandoned this Robin's personality in favour of a more calm Robin, but after comparing the two I found this worked more.**

* * *

 **Zero kami no mu** **:** So like Noire but slightly more crazy? Hmm… maybe that could work, but I'd prefer to turn it up a bit. How does straight up multiple personality disorder sound?

 **Bonefish** **:** Already chatted to you in PM, thanks again for pointing that out.

 **Scorin** **:** Nope, but people are welcome to take what ideas they want (just give me a shout-out or something as the source of inspiration). I've tried once or twice myself, but it didn't work. Merely Shepherds is a testament to my failure. I've learned that these gimmicks can carry a short story, but not a novel. There needs to be good plot and whatnot to make a novel.

I like that idea, but I don't think it fits this collection. This is The _Robin_ Variable after all. However I would like to try that idea… maybe a name change is in order for this story, or the start of a separate collection for miscellaneous ideas.

Hmm… I'll think on this.


	9. Timesnap Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

* * *

Robin dives out of the axe's path, gritting his teeth as his shoulder bumps a rock. He rolls quickly, ignoring the mud that splatters on his coat. The axe blade lands in the muck beside him: a near miss.

Robin was surrounded. Three barbarians, two mages, an archer, and a cavalier. The teal-haired boy was a good fighter for sure, but even this was beyond his capabilities… or it would be if it weren't for his ace. As the boy dodges and weaves he pulls a small watch from a pocket and holds it out.

"Time snap!"

The hands on the watch started to move while the rest of the world freezes around Robin. The barbarians slow and stop their swings, the cavalier and their horse are entirely off the ground caught in mid gallop, an arrow from the archer hangs in the air over Robin's head, and the mage's magic circle are clearly visible in immobile detail as no one has ever seen them before.

Robin doesn't care though, he wants to survive. The clock was ticking, literally, and Robin knows from experience he only has a minute until the effects wear off. He dashes to the cavalier stabbing his iron sword through the man's chest, he then goes to the archer, the mage, the barbarians.

He got all but one. When the effects wear off and the world starts again, the entire group of plegian soldiers fall dead to the ground, all but a single barbarian. The man's eyes go wide at seeing his entire squad die in an instant and his target seemingly teleporting from one spot to another.

"M-Monster…"

"No more than you, raiding dastard." Robin snaps, pulling out his tome from beneath his coat. The electricity crackles along his hands and he launches a bolt, searing the man's chest and electrocuting him. The barbarian falls, twitching on the ground as the electric currents move through his muscles.

Robin huffs, putting his watch away. The current time was 12:28. He'd used it twenty eight times since waking up outside of southtown with no memories. Sometimes he wonders if the different times actually do anything, or if it was all aesthetic. Maybe the watch would break when he used all twelve hours? All he really knew for certain was that the ability was usable only once per hour, and lasted for precisely one minute.

It was a mystery for another day though. Robin could hear Chrom calling for him.

###

One o'clock, not a second later. The watch rested on that number, the battle was over.

Robin waited. He'd only used the ability a few minutes ago. Was something going to happen? He stared down at the copper pocket-watch, ignoring everyone around him. Surely something would happen. Could it really be nothing?

"Robin." Chrom said, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Nicely done."

"Thank you Chrom." The tactician coughs, pocketing the watch. "It was a tough one, wasn't it?"

"Indeed. How did you defeat those wyvern riders all on your own? One moment you were surrounded, I turned to call Frederick to cover for me, and when I looked back they were all dead."

Robin grins nervously. "I'm just that good I guess. I didn't pick up this wind tome for nothing."

"I suppose I should have more faith in you then." Chrom laughs. He turns to the rest of his team. "Alright Shepherds, you know the drill! Search the bodies for usable supplies and gather them together for burial! We move on in an hour!"

Emmeryn disapproved of taking from the dead, but Chrom disagreed. If supplies (weapons, armor, money) were salvageable they should be taken. He drew the line at personal artifacts though. Any medallions, rings, or personal items were to be left alone and buried with the soldier. Letters (if they were present on the soldier's person for some reason) were to be delivered to the address if at all possible after being read over to ensure they didn't contain military information.

This was assuming there wasn't other soldiers of the same faction around to identify the dead soldiers and take their personal belonging back to their families. If that was the case (though it was yet to happen for Robin) the bodies were to be searched as normal but not buried. Instead they would be left to their own people to bury as they saw fit and arrange for things to be sent back to families.

Robin rarely partook in the actual searching though. Instead he took stock of injuries, broken weapons and staves, and made calculations on how the battle would affect their time to their destination. Emmet, the Shepherds' quartermaster, helped him during such times. The man made it so Robin didn't have to leave his office to gather reports and updates, which significantly sped up the process of making a new assessment of their situation. Despite one of his legs being a wooden replacement, the man has no complaints about moving around to gather reports. Emmet isn't _fast_ , but he doesn't have to be. It takes a while to sort through all the information anyways.

This time though, Robin is distracted. He keeps thinking about the watch in his pocket, and has to resist the urge to take it out and stare all the time. Emmet brings reports faster than Robin is processing, and he ends up taking an extra half an hour to deal with them.

Robin goes to sleep that night staring at the pocket-watch, wondering if there is something he's missing.

###

"Cordelia, no!" The red-haired girl desperately slashes with her steel lance, trying to batter off the wyvern riders and their axes.

"Sumia, stay back!" Robin barks. Somehow he knows the situation even though… why does he…?

"But that's my friend! We have to- gods…" Sumia sobs as the other pegasus knight ('Cordelia' Robin assumes) falls from her mount and crashes into the rocks below.

"Right into a pack of wyverns… I'm sorry Stumbles." Gaius grimaces, patting the girl's leg as her pegasus hovers next to him.

###

Robin blinks awake, the dream fresh in his mind. He fumbles for his journal, scribbling down what he remembers. That was too vivid to be a normal dream.

"Cordelia, red hair, pegasus knight." Robin murmurs fervently. "Battle on cliffs, wyverns behind, ambush?"

The tactician knows their plan is to go around Whisperwind Mountain to get to the eastern palace. They'll go through a small pass along the side of a cliff… that must be what he just saw. Some way, somehow, Robin received a premonition through a dream. He would try to save this 'Cordelia', and be prepared for the upcoming battle that no one else knew about.

###

"Robin? What are you doing?" Chrom asks, confused.

"Just… keeping an eye out." The boy murmurs, watching the cliffside. "Perfect place for an ambush, wouldn't you say?"

"And I thought Frederick was wary." The boy chuckles.

"Hmm… Chrom."

"Yes?"

"Do you know someone named Cordelia?"

"Indeed I do. When did you hear of her? From Sumia?"

"Sure. Where is she now?"

"At the border I think. I'll confess, I don't keep track of her. She's Sumia's friend more than mine."

"Hmm…"

Robin falls silent, still scanning the mountainside.

Not ten minutes later, a group of wyverns swoop down in front of them. The Hierarch, who had been accompanying them, runs up announcing his defection… and is promptly killed by the men to whom he was defecting.

An ambush, just like Robin thought. There were no wyverns behind them _yet_ , but that didn't mean Cordelia was safe.

"Shepherds!" Robin barks. "Focus those wyverns! I don't want any getting past us! Defensive wall!"

The boy knows he would usually have ordered a turtle formation and not a wall. A wall is much easier to breach… but it's also better at stopping things from getting past. With the mages spread out we can better take down any wyverns that try to get past.

Normally they would leave those that get past for Emmeryn's guard to deal with, but this time Robin's know Cordeila's life is on the line. They'll catch her between the guard and the Shepherds, surround her, and kill her between safe zones.

It's almost as if that thought triggered her appearance. A pegasus knights flies over the mountain, baring down on them with great speed. Some wyvern riders try to intercept, but the long reach of the wall allows Ricken to pick them off, meaning only one rider gets past.

Cordelia, contrary to what Robin saw in his dream, seems to be a perfectly adept fighter. She peppers the wyvern rider with javelins, killing him long before the rider can even swing his axe at her.

Robin nods to himself and focuses back on the battle. That's one problem solved. "Shepherds, turtle formation! Slow advance!"

###

Two o'clock. Slaughtering their way through Plegia to get to Emmeryn means Robin is using his power frequently to tip the scales of fights. Wyvern rider ambushes are common, and Robin finds himself using time snap to get out of sticky situations with great frequency.

That night he expects the dream and has his paper, quill, and ink ready by his bedside when he goes to sleep.

###

"Go wee one, Gregor stay and fight." The crusty man whispers quietly, shoving the small green-haired girl through a gap in the bones. "See man with fancy sword? He is Ylissian. Ylissians will like you."

"No! I won't just leave you-" The little girl squeaks, trying to fight back against the man.

"No time for talking, is time to be running! Go to man with fancy sword." Gregor murmurs, pushing a bag of coins (judging by the sound) into her hands. "We _both_ die if you stay. Go, live for Gregor. Don't make last act worthless yes?"

"B-But-"

"Gregor old man. You still have long life. Go!"

###

Robin blinks awake. Old man Gregor, scantily-clad little girl, bones, being pursued. Sent to Chrom…

The tactician knows he'll have to find this before it happens. He can't react to something this time. He pulls out a map, searching. The map is somewhat out of date, but there are some villages here centered around an oasis. No note of bones, but if Gregor and the girl are coming from anywhere it's probably the villages.

He purses his lips. In order to keep those two safe they'll need to send people in advance. Sumia and Cordelia. They can pick up the two and bring them to safety. It's risky to send two unaccompanied pegasus knights, but it's the only way Robin can save Gregor.

As they approach the villages later that day (still not able to be seen over the horizon) Robin starts looking for bones. He borrowed Gaius' spyglass earlier that day because he 'wanted to try it out'. In reality, he knew he needed to spot those bones as quickly as possible.

"There they are." Robin murmurs. The giant remains of some reptile (as can be told by the structure of the head) lie baking and half buried in the sand. It's landmark not on the map, but there's no way it can be recent. Regardless, it's time to start the rescue mission. He raises a hand in the air and shouts. "Sumia! Cordelia!"

The two girl flutter down to hover over his head. "Yes Robin?"

"Over there are some bones." Robin gestures off to the horizon with one arm and hands the spyglass up to Cordelia with the other. The red-haired girl squints through and nods. "I need you two to give it a fly-over. We'll be passing it by on our way over and we don't want to be ambushed."

"Understood." Sumia nods. Cordelia hands back the spyglass and the two fly off.

Not half an hour later Robin can see them suddenly swoop down from the sky behind the bones. When they return back to the air they each have a passenger. As they fly back the tactician notices a few spells shoot up behind them. Robin grins to himself and pockets the spyglass. Success. Now they just have to fight. "Shepherds! Sumia and Cordelia have found trouble, prepare for combat!"

###

Three o'clock, a vision of Emmeryn falling from her perch. Averted by sending Gaius ahead of them, and breaking Emmeryn out of her captivity before they even arrive.

Four o'clock, a frail dancer being captured by a plegian elite mercenary (also known as a 'hero') as Lon'qu falls trying to protect her. Averted with more caution, and placing the girl in the protection of the backline. The lack of inspiration for the frontline is unfortunate, but the battle is won regardless.

During the two years of peace that follow, Robin doesn't use his time snap. He considers it, but realizes he doesn't know how far in the future the visions go, and he doesn't know what happens at twelve o'clock. So for those two years the watch remains unused, lying at three minutes past four.

Marriages abound during this time. Gaius and Sumia, Chrom and Maribelle, Lissa and Donnel, and Lon'qu and Olivia. Robin watches all of this happen with a faint amusement. He has a few guesses as to who will be next.

Those guesses don't come to pass as soon as he expects. War returns, this time with some country called 'Valm'. Robin dusts off his old pocket-watch and tome, and goes back to war with the rest of the Shepherds.

###

Robin has never had trouble understanding the prophetic dreams before, but this one confuses him. 'Father' the blue-haired girl said, but Chrom's daughter is young, only two years old. All of this while crows caw in the background, and dusk casts a shadow over everyone's face. Five o'clock… a confusing confrontation.

When the event eventually comes to pass, Robin is there to see it. Marth joins them for a battle against a sudden Risen attack, bringing along a boy named Henry. When Chrom almost falls to a sudden sword to the back, Marth calls out "Father!" and dives to intercept.

Marth, Lucina, a girl from the future. It seems Robin isn't the only one with powers over time. Lucina admits she's never seen the watch before, and that he never showed any ability to manipulate time in the future.

At that point, Robin is positive that twelve o'clock is the end of the watch.

Six o'clock. A women surrounded by valmese knights, weaponless. Cherch, Sumia, and Cordelia (with Gregor and Nowi riding with them) blaze a path to her while the other Shepherds hack through the main force.

Seven, eight, nine, ten. All used in the war to prevent deaths. Say'ri's brother is saved, Tharja avoids an arrow through the chest, Sully gets off with a bruise rather than a broken collarbone, and Owain is stopped from suiciding against an entire bandit team on his own.

The knowledge of the children is privileged information and only a few are told: Emmeryn, Philia, and Rami are the only ones outside the Shepherds (and Basilio and Flavia) to know the secret. Over the course of the war, some of the children are found. Some are in Valm, discovered as the Shepherds march across the country. Some are in Ylisse, and either naturally make their way to the capital or are found by the pegasus knights during routine Risen cleanup thanks to Lucina providing detailed descriptions. Some are in Ferox, and are discovered on virtue of their incredible fighting skills.

The strangest cases are those found in Plegia. They aren't delivered by the ruler of Plegia, but by (of all people) _Gangrel_. The Mad King comes stomping into Ylisstol one day with Yarne and Severa, demanding that 'these future brats' be taken off his hands.

It turns out Severa found Gangrel in a pirate gang and recognized him. When she tried to buy his services from the pirates and they attacked her, Gangrel came to her defense and they escaped.

Gangrel _vehemently_ denies that he did it out of any sort of goodwill or kindness because Severa tried to free him, but the man helping to save Yarne later at no benefit to himself says volumes about his attempts to redeem himself.

When asked why she even bothered to try and save him, Severa just scoffs and says "I recognized his description and knew he was supposed to be dead. I figured I could get him to help me because it would be better than staying with those nasty pirates."

By the time they're preparing to fight Walhart all of the future children are found. Robin uses the eleventh vision the night before the battle.

###

The red axe falls, clashing with Falchion as the two men duel. " _This is the moment from my dream._ " Robin realizes, eyes narrowing. His time snap has already been used this fight to break through the generals blocking the hall. " _Come on Gangrel, I'm trusting you on this._ "

Excellus appears in a flash of purple light, teleporting back into view with his toad-like smile. In the man's hand is a giant red tome. If he fires that, it will kill not only Chrom but Walhart, Robin, and everyone else in the room.

Siege tomes are _brutally_ powerful. Excellus is trying to massacre everyone, not just the Shepherds.

"You're an eyesore!" Gangrel cackles, suddenly leaping out from a nearby alcove. His jagged sword buries itself in Excellus' neck as the wiry man lands on the sage's back. "Sorry, but there's only room for _one_ pitiful excuse for a human being around here, and that's _me_!"

As Excellus falls Robin gives Gangrel a nod. A flawless execution. He points a finger to Walhart and Chrom, and the gangly man dashes forward with Levin sword in hand.

The Mad King and the Exalted Prince fighting the Conqueror. Robin snorts and returns to battling the group of sages. A royal battle indeed.

###

One minute left. Robin is hanging on to this. All of his time snaps are gone but one, and more importantly he has one last _vision_. Twelve o'clock.

"Dad?" Morgan asks, popping her head through the doorway. "What's up?" Her eyes find the watch. "Damn, you've used a lot of time on that thing already."

Lucina hadn't known Morgan existed. The girl was an oddity, just like himself. She had no memory and woke up with an old copper watch in her pocket. The difference was that hers had already been half used.

She didn't get visions like him. Instead each hour on the watch gave her a bit of her memories back. Morgan was still sparing with its use though, saving it for battles rather than using it whenever she could just to get her memories.

"I have one minute left Morgan." Robin murmurs. "One last vision. One last snap. What's more valuable?"

"Well a snap is nice and all, but it's the visions that save lives right?" Morgan chirps. "Save the vision for Grima, use the snap the day before."

"Yes, I was thinking the same thing." The tactician nods. "But the snap could let me kill Grima without the fight dragging on."

"And risk a death?"

"A drawn out fight is more likely to risk a death with or without a vision."

"Well it's up to you Dad. Your call."

"I know… gods I hate decisions like this."

###

Robin saves the snap. A vision would be great, but the chance to kill Grima before the fighting can really start is too tempting to pass up. He never told Chrom about the ability, but somehow he thinks the prince knows. Robin was never subtle about its use after all.

Naga teleports them aboard Grima's back, and the clone of Robin laughs. He raises his hand, maybe to call an attack, and Robin acts.

"Time snap!"

Robin dashes forwards, throwing bolt after bolt of thoron lightning. In the last three seconds the tactician reaches his target, wrenches the silver sword from his hip, and buries it in his clone's chest.

Time lurches back to normal, and the Risen roar to life. Grima gasps, grabbing at the sword though his body. The tome in his hand is dropped to the floor and Robin kicks it away. He then grabs the sword hilt, grits his teeth, and wrenches upwards.

In less than ten seconds real time Grima is dead. The time snap prevents minutes of mindless fighting. Robin smiles grimly. He can hear Chrom yelling at him, cursing him for sacrificing himself as the Risen already start to drop.

Robin turns, given a salute to his fellow Shepherds, and then (to spare them the pain of seeing him dissolve as he can already feel his arms going numb) jumps off the dragon and falls through the air.

The tactician never hits the ground, dissolving into purple mist long before. When Chrom and Morgan find the spot he would have hit later all they find is an old copper pocket-watch.

###

That night Chrom dreams. He sees Robin sitting at a table with the rest of the Shepherds. He's laughing and smiling, and when he reaches for a drink Chrom can see the gold wedding band on his finger.

At that time, Chrom knows Robin must be alive. This dream is a vision. He's positive.

Robin doesn't appear the next day or the day after that, but Chrom knows the boy will return to them a some point. He just hopes that it will be sooner than later: Morgan misses her father, and Anna is starting to threatening to sue Naga if she never gets a chance to propose properly.

As amusing at that would be, Chrom hope Robin comes back before that happens. Something tells him that trying to take a _god_ to court won't go over well.

* * *

 **This chapter is all over the place. I like the idea, but it's one that needs a longer story to be done well I think.**

* * *

 **Zero kami no mu** **:** We'll see how it goes. Expect it soon enough.

 **Invisible Prince** **:** Hmm… I'll see about that. The idea might need tweaking though.

 **Scorin** **:** It's up to you. Don't rely on my help too much though, I'm basically improvising everything I do. I don't _plan_ these chapters that much before I start, I just make them up as I go. My skill is in writing, not planning or giving feedback.

I'll note all those ideas down for consideration. No guarantees how quickly I'll get to them though.


	10. Impulse Robin

**Disclaimer** **:** **I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **This chapter was hard, and it didn't turn out quite as requested (by Zero kami no mu). I ended up going more with the 'spontaneously blunt' part of the request than the 'questionable sanity' and 'is usually timid' parts. The idea of Grima rattling around in Robin's head also proved a hinderance more than a help to the story. I still like that idea and it might come back later, but I couldn't make it work here. Sorry.**

* * *

There were two fundamental truths Chrom knew about Robin. She was calm, collected, always had a plan… and was prone to speaking her mind when you least expected it.

"So you see, that's why we can't retaliate." Emmeryn says with conviction. "We are in no condition to fight, and the people don't need another war."

Chrom keeps his mouth shut. He doesn't agree with his sister, but _she_ is the leader of Ylisse, not him.

"I see…" Robin nods. Emmeryn smiles, but then the blonde-haired tactician says: "you're a total moron aren't you?"

"Pardon?"

"You're basically doing _nothing_ while Plegia walks all over you." The tactician sneers. "You _know_ Gangrel doesn't want to talk, you _know_ that he's going to get his war no matter what, but you refuse to fight back, or even _prepare_ countermeasures. You don't even have _plans_ for the inevitable war!"

Chrom tries not to smirk at Emm's shocked expression. Minus the insult Robin just said _exactly_ what he was thinking.

"W-Well-"

"Are you even _trying_?" Robin accuses. "I know you'd like to resolve this diplomatically, I do too, but that's no excuse to let your entire Halidom get consistently raided just because you think, _with literally everyone telling you otherwise_ , that there's some tiny chance for peace."

"But-"

"And don't give me that 'but I got help from Ferox!' bullshit! _Ylisse_ still isn't doing _anything_! You're trying to get someone else to fight your war for you!" Robin snaps. "You _hypocrite_!"

Frederick promptly escorts Robin out, glaring at her the entire time, but the girl's words have an impact. Chrom doesn't rub it in, but when Emm talks to him he makes it clear he thinks more like Robin than he does her.

A week later Emmeryn announces her decision to revive Ylisse's army, starting with the expansion of their historic pegasus knight core.

###

"Don't you see?" Gangrel cackles. "I'm doing this for the good of Plegia, nothing more! Now, the Fire Emblem, _please_."

"Wrong!" Robin snaps, pointing a finger at Gangrel. The usually level-headed girl stomps forwards, ignoring everyone's attempts to hold her back, "You're just a sad, broken freak trying to justify a slaughter for your own delusions! You can go suck Grima's dragon di-!"

"That's _enough_ Robin." Frederick hisses, slapping a hand over the girl's mouth and pulling her away. "You are _not_ helping."

"I agree with her." Chrom snarls, one hand on Falchion. "That man deserves his title."

"Please _Your_ _Exaltedness_." Gangrel sneers sardonically at Emmeryn. "Keep a handle on your war dogs. We're having a civil conversation here."

"My apologies." Emmeryn says with a small bow. "However, I cannot surrender the Fire Emblem. Surely there is another solution-"

"Emblem _now_ , or the girl gets it!" The man snaps, motioning to a captive Maribelle. Aversa smiles mockingly, waggling her sharp fingernails near the troubadour's neck. "I'll give you to the count of ten _Your Royalness_."

The man slowly starts counting down, he practically sings the numbers as he twirls his levin sword. Frederick releases Robin, who immediately does something odd. She holds out her thunder tome and fires a shot straight upwards.

A blast of elwind suddenly knocks Aversa off her feet, and Ricken rushes out from the bushes on a horse. He uses a small dagger hidden in his cloak to sever Maribelle's bindings and they both quickly scramble up on the horse.

"Lissa, rescue staff!" Robin barks, jabbing a finger at the startled girl. The blonde-haired princess fumbles the staff off her shoulder and aims it at her friend. A burst of green light from the crystal at the top wraps Maribelle and Ricken in energy, and the two are teleported safely next to Lissa.

"Well that's a declaration of war if I ever saw one!" Gangrel laughs. "Orton, handle these fools. Aversa, come with me. We have an army to lead!" The man twirls around, cloak billowing in the wind, and stalks off behind the mountain. Aversa brushes herself off, huffs at the assorted Ylissians below as a dark pegasus descends from above her, and flies after her king.

"Sorry Emm, but I can't say I didn't expect this." Chrom apologizes. "You fall back with Philia, the Shepherds will guard our retreat." The Exalt sighs, allowing Philia to lead her away from the soon-to-be battlefield. Chrom only spares her a moment's glance before turning to Robin. "What's our plan?"

The girl looks much calmer than she did a minute ago, just like her usual self. "I need Kellam and Frederick up front…"

Robin acts on a plan she had ready in case this happened. With her expert guidance Orton and the plegian vanguard are staved off, and the ylissians retreat to Ylisstol.

###

Robin doesn't know _why_ it happens, but she knows how. It's all about conviction. If she _really_ believes something and someone else disagrees, then she may as well not have control over her body. Friend or foe, she speaks her mind about them in the most truthful way possible.

It wasn't an impulse, she didn't have a choice. The moment struck, and she didn't have control. It was as if, for those brief moments, someone else was speaking. They did what she wanted to do but never had the confidence for. It was like a different side of her was speaking.

Even Chrom had been on the receiving end of one of her cutting remarks, and Robin almost never disagrees with the blue-haired prince. Why is it she is only ever compelled to speak when she has something _negative_ to say?

Well that was probably for the best. Randomly blurting out her attraction to Chrom would be horribly embarrassing, even more so than suddenly criticizing him.

###

"You know nothing!" Gangrel barks, looking very small with his tiny retinue of personal soldiers. His army had all but abandoned him, Emmeryn's words having moved them to abandon their leader. "A man is always alone! Me, you, everyone! Men only follow each other so long as there is something in it for _them_! They care nothing for justice, and it's up to people like _me_ to try and do right!"

"By trying to kill everyone is Ylisse!?" Chrom snaps. "How is that justice?!"

"You killed us! Men, women, children! All on the crime of being _different_! Plegia cried for blood, so I tried to give it to them!" The Mad King snarls. "But a few pretty words and they abandoned the man that devoted his _life_ to them!"

As much as Chrom wants to argue, he knows that Gangrel has a point. It's something he and Robin have discussed before. The Mad King wasn't always called that. He earned his title only after years of trying to rule a broken, ungrateful country.

For once, Robin doesn't have criticism. She doesn't have a cutting remark to tell Gangrel how wrong he is. Truly loyal to-the-death followers and friends were a rarity… a rarity Gangrel had to an extent, that small retinue had turned down offers of surrender in order to fight for their king, but both Chrom and Robin had suspicions that Gangrel had no _close_ friends.

Gangrel didn't have his own Shepherds.

"I can't speak for my father." Chrom says reluctantly. "I can only speak for what I know. Ylisse now is still a vengeful, racist place… but Emmeryn is the leader, and you should know how unflinching she is. She refused to fight back against you, she continuously offered peace, but _you_ turned it down. My father doesn't speak for Ylisse anymore Gangrel, Emmeryn does."

"And that's supposed to excuse your slaughter?!" The King sneers.

"No." Chrom says remorsefully. "But I'll fight for my country nonetheless. A slaughter doesn't justify a slaughter."

They have no words for each other after that. Each side settles their battle lines, and slowly but surely the Shepherds dismantle Gangrel's final lines of defence, ending in his capture at Chrom's hands.

###

"You really think he can be changed?" Chrom asks cautiously.

"I do." Emmeryn says affirmatively, and to Chrom's surprise Robin nods alongside her. "We've spent time speaking with him and we believe he can be shows a better path."

"That's not saying we're letting him out anytime soon." Robin says quickly.

"Thank Naga, I'd hope not." The prince grimaces. "I don't think I'll ever trust him."

Emmeryn purses her lips. "I'm not asking you to trust him _immediately_ …."

"But should he prove genuine, we think he deserves a second chance." The blonde-haired tactician says slowly.

"He murdered _hundreds_ of people by ordering those raids!" Chrom snaps.

"And saved hundreds more with the food he obtained." Robin admits. "I'm not saying what he did was right, but he was genuinely trying to help his people. Plegia isn't known for it's crops after all, the only place he could realistically get food was from Ylisse."

"You're sugges-!"

"Chrom." Robin barks, suddenly sneering at him. "Shit happens. People make mistakes and take wrong paths. When you're a ruler, that means people's lives are spent on those mistakes. You might not like it, but he was doing his best in a truly horrendous situation."

"But-"

"Do _you_ rule Plegia."

"No."

"Do _you_ know the political climate? Do _you_ have people starving on your doorstep, begging for food you can't give them?" Robin snarls. "Do _you_ have the grimleal breathing down your neck, pushing you and the people to war? Are your own councillors all under the grimleal's thumb?"

"No…"

"Then check your damn privilege Chrom!" The girl snaps. "Gangrel could have been greedy, hoarding everything to himself and never helping the people at all! He's _allowed_ to do that as king, and from what we heard the grimleal actually try to _encourage_ it! He _didn't_ , and while it didn't turn out nicely at least he _tried_ Chrom. That's more than you could say for a lot of others!"

The blue-haired boy never thought he'd be getting yelled at for speaking _against_ Gangrel. Silence falls over the group as Robin gradually calms down, returning to her normal calculated self.

"I can understand your trepidation." She says eventually. " _You_ don't have to trust him, you just have to trust _us_ , and give him a second chance when we decide it's time."

Chrom reluctantly agrees, but not before vehemently protesting his distrust once more.

###

Chrom was _not_ expecting his meal at the bar with Robin to end up like this.

"Why are you handsome?" Robin growls, slightly drunk. She pokes him on the nose, glaring. "It's distracting Chorm! Stop being hot!"

"Well, erm…" The prince coughs, pushing her hand aside. He isn't sure if this is one of her outbursts or just the beer talking. "I can't really control that unless you want me to smear dirt on my face."

"No…" Robin mumbles. "Then you won't be hot."

Chrom blinks owlishly, somewhat confused. "I thought you said you wanted me to _stop-_ "

"No!" Robin interrupts, glaring. "Take a hint Chrom!"

The prince is very lost. "Erm…"

"Like-" Robin rambles on, not fully paying attention to him. "You've got muscles and stuff… and you're nice, and you get embarrassed _really_ easy."

Chrom knows what she's talking about. It was during the war that he ran into her in the bath. Robin was mildly surprised, but Chrom _panicked_ and fled. It was only later (nearly two days later in fact) that she eventually cornered him and said, in no uncertain terms, that she really didn't care and he was being childish.

Lissa learned about it a few days later and spent a solid two weeks teasing him.

"That was soo cute." Robin hums. "You were all red… kinda like that!" She pokes his cheek, indicating his blush.

"Is there a point to all this?" Chrom coughs, thoroughly flustered.

"Chrom!" Robin barks suddenly, her brows furrowing into a scowl. She opens her arms. "Hug. Now."

"Erm-"

"Stop being a moron! I'm not _that_ subtle Chrom!" She groans. "You're just scared aren't you?"

"Slightly." The prince admits sheepishly. "I never really learned how to address women _outside_ of formal situations, so…"

"Dammit Chorm, what were you expecting?" Robin sighs. "Me to bite you? Punch you in the face?"

"Maybe?" Chrom squeaks.

"Hug. Now. I'm waiting."

The blue-haired boy nervously shifts forwards, very aware that some of the other patrons are watching him, and tentatively wraps his arms around the girl. She reciprocates immediately, and isn't nearly as shy. Unlike Chrom, Robin's hug is tight, and she isn't shy about bringing her face right up to his.

"Oh no, watch out." She says with a teasing grin. "A plegian girl is accosting the prince."

"You are drunk."

"Yes, and apparently it's great for _finally_ getting you to admit you like me." Robin huffs. "Seriously Chrom, I've been waiting for you to do something for at least a year and a half."

Chrom silently promises to be more assertive in the future, and happily spends the rest of the evening cuddling with Robin.

###

"This is a terrible idea." Chrom says bluntly.

"Oh definitely." Robin agrees. "But we need his help. He's a lot smarter than you give him credit for Chrom."

"Trusting the Mad King…"

"Trust is wrong word." The tactician snorts. "Letting him wander around the yard on a leash is more accurate. Plus he's a demon with a levin sword, and we can always use more swords in a war like this."

Valm had come knocking on Ferox's borders. Virion's warning was just in time for the feroxi vanguard and the Shepherds to meet them. That being said the valmese army far, _far_ outnumbers them. Any help they can get is needed.

"Gods I hate this."

"Remember what I said before…"

"I know, I know. Second chance and all that." Chrom sighs.

"Don't worry." Robin says, face falling to a sneer. "If he does one thing wrong, I'm _personally_ dragging him back to his cell, and you're more than welcome to help."

With their former enemy by their side and a quick stop to Plegia to borrow some ships, the ylissian and feroxi armies sail off to Valm to battle them on their own land. Emmeryn had actually approved of raising the army this time _without_ being yelled at by Robin.

With the (questionably) redeemed Gangrel by their side, the odds of beating Valm look promising. Chrom steps onto the deck of their new command ship, Robin and Flavia flanking him, and formally commands the launch of new Yliise-Ferox fleet.

* * *

 **Again, this chapter was so-so. The request behind it is solid, but I don't think I did it justice. Maybe a rewrite is in order, but in the interest of getting this chapter out and moving on to the next I'm settling on this version.**

* * *

 **Scorin** **:** I literally made this stuff up on the spot. There had to be _some_ restrictions for me to work with or this story would seem really arbitrary. That's how you create an interesting story even if your characters are OP. Having a set of rules allows for tension and interesting choices, otherwise it's just random and feels like you're constantly pulling things out of nowhere.

That's a good point about the stopwatch. I went back and changed it to 'pocket watch'. I basically imagined it as a clock that only worked when timesnap was active, not an actual stopwatch.

Out of those three ideas I only think I'll be able to use the necromancer idea (Risen summoner if you will). Thanks for the ideas though, I appreciate your enthusiasm.


	11. Exalted Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **This is one of Scorin's suggestions. A pretty good one too, despite the simplicity.**

* * *

"Lissandra, get up already!" Robin commands, poking his sister in the side. The blonde-haired girl groans, swatting his hands away. "Don't make me drag you out of bed."

"Stop calling me Lissandra…" The girl grumble, sitting up. She rubs her blue eyes as her long blonde locks fall in her face. "That sounds so _formal_."

Robin huffs, looking to the ceiling. How could she complain? He and Chrom were stuck with boring short names while Lissan- sorry, _Lissa_ and Emmeryn had cool longer names. Robin wanted a name like that. "Come on, you're the one who said you wanted to learn to use the axe. Now get up or Frederick is going to get impatient."

His little sister grumbles, dragging herself out of bed. Robin helps Lissa tie her corset and does her hair as she tiredly munches on the food Robin had brought along with him.

The white-haired boy sighs in amusement as Lissa stomps tiredly down the hallway. Chrom and Frederick meet them in the training yard, and look significantly more awake than the blonde-haired princess.

If one were to look at the three siblings, or the four if Emmeryn were there, one would notice a distinct difference between Lissandra, Emmeryn, Chrom, and Robin. While the other three all had something in common (all three had blue eyes and a high hairline) Robin was a odd one out. His skin had a slight tan compared to his siblings, and his white hair didn't match either of their parents. Robin's brown eyes and low hairline also didn't match his siblings.

Robin looked plegian, there was no way around it. He had nothing in common with his siblings in terms of appearance. It wasn't something they discussed, but it quietly sat in the back of Robin's mind. The upper circles of Ylisse had noticed as well, and it was a subject of unsubtle speculation and suspicion.

"Ready Robin?" Chrom asks, pulling out his practice blade.

Robin shakes himself from his thoughts and grabs his own weighted wooden blade. "Always. I was just deciding how I'm going to beat you today."

"You and your strategy." Chrom chuckles. "You can't win battles with your nose always in the books."

"And you can't win by just swinging around a sword." Robin retorts. "Sometimes I swear you're more like Vaike than you are me!"

The blue-haired prince barks a laugh and takes his stance. "I'll take that as a compliment. I leave the planning to you."

"Well at least you know your strengths." Robin snorts. "Now come at me!"

###

Risen was what they decided the threat should be called. Corpses animated by dark magic, _risen_ from the grave to fight again. Their deadly skill was cemented when Emmet, one of the strongest members of the Shepherds, lost his leg saving Lissa and was rendered unable to fight for months. He survived and became their quartermaster, but the near brush with death was a sign of a serious threat for the Shepherds.

Robin plans, and plans, and plans. Brigands, Risen, and even pirates from the seas accost Ylisse from all sides. It was Robin who suggested they being the pegasus knights back to their historic glory, it was Robin who instituted a military training branch is the mage schools, and it was Robin who helped organize village defences and teach basic combat skills to the willing militia members.

It was also Robin that changed the laws and finally allowed women to join the army on equal terms, not needing to pay the hefty monetary price that Sully suffered just to pursue her dream of strength.

Within months Robin, with some help from his siblings, put Ylisse back on track to self-sufficient defence. Still, he was glad to have help from the feroxi warriors in protecting Ylisse's upper reaches from the Risen and plegian brigand threat. In exchange Ylisse gave Ferox their well-crafted goods and all sorts of art items that Ferox usually lacks.

That said, Robin was tired. The whole exalted family was running thin; while Robin commanded the nation alongside Emmeryn, Chorm and Lissa made the presence of the crown felt by patrolling with the Shepherds and bringing relief to ravaged villages.

The arrival of Virion and Emmet's partial recovery signaled some help for the frazzled exalted family. The rossanite was a great help in organization, and the brown-haired quartermaster started to take on the more mundane paperwork to allow Robin to focus on the important tasks.

The capture of Maribelle drew the Shepherds, and indeed the entire Exalted family, to the border to confront Gangrel.

"Surely this is a misunderstanding King Gangrel." Emmeryn says calmly, making a soothing gesture with her hands. "Please, return Maribelle and we can talk."

"What?" The man scoffs. "Return her first and _then_ talk? How foolish do you think I am? What stops you from just walking off?!"

"Integrity." Robin responds, stepping in. "We have a reputation to uphold King Gangrel. If we were to take Maribelle and leave, we would be seen as untrustworthy by the world. Our word would mean nothing, and we don't want that."

"So I'm just supposed to blindly trust you?" Gangrel scoffs again.

"No. I just told you why giving us Maribelle _isn't_ blind trust. We stand to lose if we don't stay and talk." Robin repeats firmly. "So please, release Maribelle and let us talk."

The man's eyes narrow, and the dark-skinned beauty by his side leans over and whispers in his ear. Surprisingly, from what Robin can tell, it seems like _Gangrel_ is the once defending the idea to talk while the lady, Aversa, is the one trying to encourage a fight.

Robin can tell this by the aggravated jabbing of Aversa's fingers contrasted with Gangrel's twitchy but less aggressive gestures.

How curious.

"Girl!" Gangrel suddenly calls, turning to Emmeryn. "I'll agree to talk on one condition!" He points at her small group. "We talk alone, one advisor each! I don't want your war dogs breathing down my neck!"

"That's seems fine." Chrom mumbles, looking over at his siblings.

"I don't like it, but…" Lissa whispers. "If it gets Maribelle we need to do it, right?"

"I think I should go with you Emm." Robin says, placing a hand on his sister's shoulder. "No offence Phila, but I think I can offer more advice here and I'm more than capable of fighting."

The older, teal-haired woman nods, agreeing silently.

"Then that is what we shall do." Emmeryn murmurs quietly. She steps forward, raising her voice. "Gangrel, we accept your terms! I shall bring my brother Robin with me." She gestures to the tactician beside her.

"And I bring my advisor." Gangrel sneers, jabbing a finger at Aversa. "Orton!" He calls. "Release the girl!"

With surprising gentleness, the otherwise sleazy looking plegian wyvern riders cuts Maribelle's bonds and gestures to one of his soldiers to bring her horse. He hands the girl back her mend staff, pats her on the shoulder, and sends her on her way.

Lissa is quick to rush up to her friend, hugging her the instant she dismounts. Emm and Robin quickly confer with Chrom and Virion, and the two blue-haired men promise to be on guard in case a fight still breaks out.

Robin and Emmeryn walk slowy forwards, waiting at the base of the hill for Gangrel and Aversa to step down. Robin forces himself to grip his steel sword and instead links his hands together nervously. Emmeryn is, as always, the picture of calm, but her the hiding of her hands in her sleeves is a nervous tic that only her siblings know about.

Both plegians descend on a black pegasus, landing beside the two ylissians. Both sides are acutely aware of the archers and mages aiming at them in this open area.

"So…" Gangrel says, grinning down at Emmeryn thanks to his minor height advantage. "This is the so-called voice of peace. I must say, you're not nearly as imposing up close!"

"I would hope I'm not imposing at all." Emmeryn murmurs softly, putting on a polite smile. "It would not do for me to intimidate when I only wish to calm others." She moves one arm to gesture to Robin. "I don't not believe you two have spoken before. King Gangrel, this is my brother Prince Robin."

"Robin hmm…?" Gangrel mutters, squinting at the boy. "Aversa, that name…?"

"Plegian my king." The lady sneers. "He looks it too."

"Nonetheless I was raised in Ylisse for as long as I remember." Robins says firmly, not comfortable with this conversation. "I am Ylissian, if not by blood than by bond."

"Well said!" Gangrel barks, sounding surprisingly amicable. "Now, on to business…"

In the end, a deal is struck that seems to leave everyone but Aversa happy. Both parties seem to be aware that the idea of holding Maribelle hostage is a lie, and only Aversa seems to want to push this idea. Instead Emmeryn and Gangrel make an agreement for further talks, and spend most of the time quietly discussing trade.

As the four of them part ways, Robin mulls over in his head how the so-called 'Mad King of Plegia' is a lot smarter, and a lot _less_ crazy, than his public persona might suggest.

He wishes the man didn't need to take a hostage just to talk though.

###

There's a revolution in Plegia. The new leader, Validar, calls it 'The People's Revolution', but anyone who knows the political climate can realize that this is a total farce. The grimleal were tired of Gangrel not listening to them, the man was only posturing to attack Ylisse and never pushed his advantage. Gangrel disappeared overnight, and Validar assumed the throne the next week.

Validar also proves to be a lot less diplomatic than Gangrel, and his first action as leader is to declare war on Ylisse.

"It was going so well…" Emmeryn murmurs after she hears the news and the messenger leaves. She suddenly looks tired to her siblings, who have gathered around her. "We had a trade deal, we were going to provide food and help the people of Plegia."

"Until the grimleal decided they wanted more power and kicked Gangrel out." Chrom growls.

"I'm surprised Gangrel lasted that long considering the grimleal were clearly pushing for war." Robin notes. "He kept up the facade for quite a while but only ever sent raids for food."

"The grimleal are probably responsible for the Risen." Chrom adds. "They're the real enemy, not Plegia as a whole."

"It seems so obvious now." Lissa sighs. "Of course the creepy blood cultists would be the bad guys. Aren't they always talking about how they want Grima to come back and kill everyone?"

"Now Lissa, we should be respectful of others' culture." Emmeryn murmurs. "We don't know how they think-"

"Yes we do." Chrom interrupts, scowling. "One of their leaders is on the throne Emm! We know _exactly_ how they think, he's not exactly subtle."

"Well…"

"Emm, maybe not everyone in the grimleal is bad, but some people are just corrupt." Robin says quietly. "Not everyone is like you, or even like Gangrel. Some people just think about themselves and not the people. Look at what Validar has done in a mere two weeks: _conscription_ Emm, and wasting what livestock they have to 'appease Grima' in stupid rituals. He's executing whoever disagrees with him."

Emmeryn falls silent, defeated. It breaks Robin's heart to ruin her idealism, but logic has to win over faith in order to avoid calamity. Chrom silently nods his approval of Robin's words, though he too wears a grimace. Lissa just looks sad, and fiddles with her staff while sporting a large frown.

"We have to fight Emm. We're prepared for this." Robin says quietly. "Flavia has said she's prepared to help, and the pegasus and knight corps are flooded with recruits. Even the regular army has gotten an influx of new blood. I know it pains you to send our people into combat, but for the sake of those not fighting this war _has_ to be won."

###

"Robin!"

Kellam, Miriel, Virion, Donnel, and Emmet suddenly burst into the boy's room, weapons at the ready. Robin startles awake, blinking in confusion. "What-?

"Assassins." Emmet snaps, his wooden leg clicking against the floorboards. Robin scrambles to get dressed, and is surprised when the quartermaster offers him his levin sword. "Take it. I've got other weapons." The older man growls when Robin tries to refuse. The brown-haired man pulls his bolt axe off his shoulder. "Now start planning. That Marth boy said the assassins were going for you and the Exalt."

"Alright…" Robin breathes. He knows where the Shepherds shine best, and it's most certainly _not_ scattered and alone. "We need to consolidate our forces. We move to Emmeryn's room!"

The small group runs through the castle's halls, eventually meeting up with Lissa's group consisting of Frederick, Lon'qu, Maribelle, Sumia, Cordelia, and Lissa herself. Chrom joins them last accompanied by Stahl, Sully, Ricken, and Vaike.

The three burst into Emmeryn's quarters. Marth is cornered against a far wall, fighting a cavalier and a thief. Three more individuals are barricading the door to the bedchambers (where Robin can see Emmeryn standing with a staff in hand, healing the three as they fight). Two are unfamiliar: an orange-haired thief and one of the famously rare taguel, but the last person is a familiar face.

"Beg for your life!" Gangrel cackles, cutting through another thief with a strong steel sword. "You're all eyesores! Crawl back to your new, slimy leader and tell him the Mad Dog is coming for his head!"

Despite his rantings, Gangrel firmly holds the door and even pulls out a heal staff of his own to patch up the taguel when she takes a lance to the side.

At some point in the fight Marth's mask is clipped by a thief's sword and falls off. His, or should Robin say _her_ surprisingly delicate features betray her true gender.

The fight finishes quickly with the entirety of the Shepherds coming to fight. The assassins are totally outmatched against the ylissian's group tactics. Robin commands the battle from the middle ranks, not quite on the front line but not back with the mages and Virion.

The assassin's leader is unfamiliar to them: a small, white-haired girl who rambles about her grandfather sending her on a mission and seems to recognize Robin. She calls herself Morgan… and refers to Robin as 'Father'.

Everyone knows Robin is far too young to have a fifteen year old daughter, so she's treated with suspicion until Marth steps in and reveals herself as _Chrom's_ daughter. She even has the exalted brand on her eye to prove it.

Morgan is imprisoned for trying to kill the Exalt, but Emmeryn visits her frequently, often spending hours at a time talking with the girl. It's quickly established with some help from Miriel that Morgan is just as much an amnesiac as she claims to be.

The claim that Validar is her grandfather, however, is worrying. Robin confronts Emmeryn about what she knows, and the girl reluctantly admits that she was aware Robin was adopted for a long time. His true father is unknown to her, Emm only knows that their Father had picked Robin in Plegia at some point during his campaign.

"What Morgan claims may be true." Emmeryn murmurs. "However, she does not know that for truth. The only thing she remembers is that _you_ are her father. Validar himself told her that he was her grandfather."

"Hmm…"

"And." The older girl says pointedly. "I think Morgan would appreciate a visit from her father. She really is a sweet girl, she was only on this mission because Validar promised she could bring you home."

After that Robin reluctantly accompanies Emmeryn on her visits to the dungeons. Despite his reservations, much like with Gangrel, Morgan quickly proves to be more than meets the eye. Robin quickly finds her tactical knowledge to be almost even with his, and a surprisingly smart girl.

It turns out that Morgan only agreed to listen to Validar due to not being told about the Grimleal and thinking the tattoos on his back and her arm were some sort of family mark.

Robin isn't so sure that's a lie, he has a grimleal mark on the back of his right hand after all. It's still easy to convince Morgan that Validar is no longer to be trusted though. The girl isn't happy to learn her mission was actually to assassinate Emmeryn and that Robin was _not_ , in fact, being abused by the Ylissian royalty.

Lucina (Marth's actual identity) admits no knowledge of Morgan, but doesn't dismiss the possibility of her existence. "There is more than one Outrealm." She murmurs. "Another child from a different Outrealm is wholly possible, if unlikely."

Eventually Morgan is released and joins the Shepherds. With the assassination thwarted Ylisse begins to wage war on Plegia, backed by feroxi might.

###

"No!" Validar gasps, Chrom's sword through his chest. "This is wrong! It was... all... written!" He reaches out to Robin. "Rob-in! You… vessel… destiny…" The man's words fade as he falls backwards, landing on the sand with a soft 'thud'. His eyes glass over and blood trickles from his mouth, and the exalted family looks down on him with disgust.

"Well that's done with." Chrom sighs, pulling Falchion free of the man's corpse. "I'm glad you're _our_ brother Robin. I hate to think who you might have been growing up under him."

"I have faith that Robin would still have been a good person." Emmeryn murmurs, placing a hand on the tactician's shoulder. "No matter who raises you they don't choose your path, they don't choose who you are."

"Well I'm just glad we never have to figure that out." Robin sighs, but smiles when Lissa and Morgan give him a hug from either side. He happily returns the gesture, draping his arms around the two girls. "I happen to like my family, adoptive or not."

* * *

 **This seems like a simple gimmick at first, but I like it. It allowed me to do something much more political than I usually do.**

* * *

 **V-oppa** **:** Gonna have to veto that idea, if only because I don't know a lot about the Scarlet Witch. Also, to be blunt, there are simpler abilities I can give Robin to achieve the same story ends. Thanks for the idea though, I do appreciate it.

 **Rotciv557** **:** I won't be doing crossovers, if only due to the fact that to make one work it would take a lot more than one chapter (and at least in _this_ one-shot collection I won't be doing multi-part fics). Grima from the future is an interesting idea, I'll note that down. Super-magic Robin was already on my radar, but ruthlessness is a trait I hadn't really considered.

Also saying no to FE7 Robin. Like with the Scarlet Witch suggestion, I don't know enough about it (and it stretches into the realm of crossover). From what I can tell though from what you're suggesting though, it seems like you're just asking for an OP Robin with a personal tome so… maybe.

I like this idea of older Robin. I'll keep that in mind. Thanks for your suggestions, even if I say no to some I still appreciate your enthusiasm.

 **Zero kami no mu** **:** Well I'm glad you liked it, even if it wasn't quite what you asked for.

 **Scorin** **:** We'll see how that turns out. Might be waiting a bit on it though. I think we're looking at Autistic, Supermagic, Giant, and _then_ Necromancer.

 **IsThisWorking** **:** I'm well aware of scythe's history, I did some research for that chapter. In the end I decided a grim reaper style scythe was better though. After all, why wouldn't he just use a halberd or a spear if he wanted a weapon that looked like that? It made sense to me a scythe to be used in a way only it can. I actually considered Kais for a bit, being usable as a proper weapon all on their own, but I wanted a big, _unique_ weapon with a cutting edge.

But you're right in saying they would only be makeshift halberds or spears. In all honesty scythes were hella impractical in combat.

Also yes, 'succ' in 'succubus' indeed. That chapter was the most enjoyable to write so far.


	12. Manakete Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **So, those of you who read my responses to reviews down below might know the original plan for this chapter was Autistic Robin. However I realize that it might be a bit of a touchy subject, so I can't just post that chapter for shits and giggles like the rest of these. The chapter is all written, it's sitting in my files right now in fact, but I'm on the fence about posting it at all.**

 **Instead, I give a you all a different suggestion of Scorin's: Manakete Robin (sorta). It was incredibly hard to find a way to start this. Also, props to Guest for the suggestion on Robin's dragon form.**

 **Alternative title is: Robin, Avatar of Grima**

* * *

Chrom had heard stories of the fabled Plegian War Dragon. They claimed it was an avatar of Grima: a six-eyed, six-winged, dark grey, scaly monstrosity that breathed acid from a skeletal maw.

When reports came in nearly seven years after the war's end that the dragon had been seen flying over Southtown, Chrom immediately called the Shepherds and went to investigate. The villagers quickly pointed him in the direction of a nearby forest, whispering that they'd seen it land somewhere there before nightfall a few days ago. They didn't know if it had left, but that was where it was spotted last so that's where the Shepherds went.

They didn't find any indication of a dragon, but Chrom did find a collapsed little girl wearing a grimleal coat. She had calf-length dark grey hair and wore a leotard along with elbow and knee length gloves and boots. All her clothes (minus the coat) were made of black leather. When Chrom keels down next to her and shakes her awake, and he gets to see her bright purple eyes slowly open.

All six of them.

Chrom's smile freezes on his face, kept there only by his desire _not_ to offend this scary little girl as she looked up at him tiredly.

"You are…" The girl murmurs, and raises a hand to his cheek. "Handsome. You're handsome Chrom."

That was _not_ what the prince expected her to say. "Th-Thank you, and y-you are…?"

"I'm…" She frowns, thinking. "Robin? Yes, my name is Robin. I can't really remember much more than that."

At this point Frederick rides up to them. "Milord, we have not foun- who is this?"

"Frederick," Chrom says slowly. "This is Robin. She claims to have amnesia."

"Truely?" The knight asks. He dismounts, and comes to stand next to Chrom. The prince notices the way Frederick stiffens when he sees Robin's three sets of eyes, but thankfully the knight knows not to comment. "I hope I do not need to tell you that such a claim is to be treated with suspicion."

"Of course, but on the odd chance it's true…" The prince murmurs.

"It's your call Milord. I defer to your judgement."

Despite his own apprehensions, Chrom helps Robin to her feet. The girl's legs are unsteady, and she clings to the prince's arm as they walk back to the Shepherds.

The others, of course, aren't quite as polite about Robin's appearance as Chrom and Frederick are. Sully's first question (after dragging Chrom away from the group) is to say "Damn Chrom, where'd you pick up _that_ little horror?"

###

Robin is a tactician, or so she claims. The girl admits to having very little practical experience though. She also claims to be older than she looks, being about twenty three which makes her four years Chrom's senior.

The prince notes something odd about her claims of being a tactician though, namely that she doesn't have a weapon. It wouldn't surprise him is she didn't know how to _use_ the weapon, as most tacticians are too stuck-up in their own self-importance to bother learning combat themselves, but they usually at least _wear_ a sword or tome.

The Shepherds encounter a particularly brutal pack of Risen on the way back to Ylisstol. Robin offers her tactical knowledge but Chrom chooses to rely on Virion, someone he trusts.

While the archer's plan is solid, his unconditional aggressiveness lands Chrom in trouble. He's alone against three knights, and while he might be able to kill one or even two with his rapier three is more than he can handle. He can't back away, Sumia and Robin are behind him, and Chrom can't drag them into this fight. Sumia doesn't have enough combat experience to deal with a knight, and Robin doesn't even have a weapon!

One lance clips his pauldron and jarrs his arm, and another stabs his leg dropping him to one knee. The prince barely brings up his sword to block the finishing blow, but this is certainly his death if he doesn't get help.

Help does indeed come, but it's not what Chrom expects. A loud roar fills the air and something massive blots out the sun as it looms over Chrom. Black mist slams down on his opponents, and the prince can hear the sizzling of their flesh and smells rust as their metal armor dissolves in the downpour of acid.

Chrom glances up, and his breath leaves him. The Plegian War Dragon floats in the sky above him, it's head turns to the side so its six eyes can look down at Chrom. The dragon circles around him once, and then flies out over the battlefield. It ignores the Shepherds entirely, swooping down to bathe the Risen in acid and taking dragon-sized bites out of choice Risen.

With a dragon on their side, the fight is over quickly. Soon the Shepherds regroup, casting nervous looks at the massive creature slowly flying circles around their head. It's eyes are outward, scanning the terrain for more Risen.

Robin had also disappeared. It wasn't hard to figure out where, or more specifically _what_ , she was.

"A manakete." Chrom murmurs, staring at the girl's massive alternate form. "Though not a kind I've ever heard of."

Eventually Robin returns to human form. Her entire body shrinks back to normal size, reforming where her tail dips to touch the ground. She casually brushes off her coat and turns to them. "You guys really need to be careful. If you have to split up at least make sure it's in pairs and not solo. Chrom almost died because he didn't have backup."

No one can really argue with her. Everyone gives Robin a wide berth all the way back to Ylisstol.

###

Emmeryn, as always, is pleasant and welcoming. It doesn't seem to phase her that the girl she's talking to has six eyes and could kill everyone in the room with minimal effort. Phila is much less accepting of Robin, and keeps a tight grip on her spear the entire time.

They all have a discussion on what exactly should be done with Robin. Locking her up is a legitimate option, but Chrom and Emmeryn aren't keen on that. By all indications Robin was a child when she fought during the war, and they don't want to hold her accountable for actions she may or may not have even _wanted_ to do. There's also the matter of her amnesia, and Emmeryn suggests that until she regains her memories Robin should be considered her own person.

Chrom agrees. From that point on, Robin is to be treated as someone who woke up in a forest yesterday, and just so happens to be able to transform into a mini Grima. With that cleared up, the prince immediately offers her a spot in the Shepherds.

"It'll put that strength of yours to good use." He promises. "And if you actually are a tactician, you can start working with Virion and improving your skills."

The girl doesn't hesitate to agree. "Sounds nice to me. I presume this comes with a room? I don't exactly have somewhere to stay."

"Of course. You can stay in the Shepherds' barracks. It's more or less an inn room, but you won't have to pay rent. Actually, you'll _get_ paid for lending your strength to Ylisse." Chrom nods.

Despite their initial distrust, the Shepherds quickly come to accept the girl. Sumia in particular forms a fast friendship with Robin. The two spends lots of time reading in Sumia's room, and the aspiring pegasus knight introduces Robin to all of her favourites.

The other people that spends lots of time with Robin are Virion and Chrom himself. Virion and Robin talk tactics and play board games, while Chrom needs to be kept informed on the status of the Shepherds and all the different plans available to them so he talks to both of his tacticians.

Robin also comes to Chrom more than anyone else when there's something she doesn't know. She asks him about everything from history to economic details to questions just about him. The prince often finds that he's spending his free time just talking to Robin about whatever crosses her mind.

The girl is, expectedly, an absolute powerhouse during missions. Being able to melt even the strongest of armor in a single attack is just as strong as it sounds. The problem comes more from the fact that civilians tend to panic when they see Grima itself flying overhead, so Robin also learns to use a tome so she can help _without_ turning into a terrifying monster that supposedly signifies the end of the world.

Then the war with Plegia starts, and Robin's army-killing strength is truly put on display. The instant Gangrel declares war after the capture of Maribelle, Robin transforms and bathes the hillside in acid. The entire Plegian regiment is reduced to nothing but ash in less than a minute, with only the swiftest of wyvern riders escaping the attack.

From then on Robin actually doesn't have to fight all that much. The mere sight of the fabled War Dragon is enough to make most enemies surrender Only the staunchest of Gangrel's supporters or the most fanatic of the Grimleal actually try to challenge them.

Robin makes quick work of them. The Shepherds are mostly for show at this point. The only time they get to fight is when Robin leaves to support their other forces…

###

Chrom knows Robin is awake by the way she starts squirming against his back. Her hands are tied in front of her around Chrom's waist, not because she's a prisoner but because she'd fall off their horse if she tried to ride it while sleeping.

Transforming takes a toll on Robin. For every ten minutes she spends as a dragon she needs a full hour of sleep to recuperate. Intimidating an opponent into submission often takes an hour or two, and this happens on a daily basis. As a result the poor girl spends nearly eighteen hours a day sleeping, and the other six either scaring people as a dragon, consulting with Virion and Chrom, or eating. She has no free time.

"Where are we…?" Is her first question. She doesn't even bother to lift her head off Chrom's back.

"Halfway to the Plegian Royal Palace." Chrom grunts. "We just passed those bones we talked about yesterday."

"Ah." Robin mumbles. "Good."

"We picked up two new members. An old mercenary named Gregor and a manakete named Nowi. She was eager to have another 'dragon friend' to play with, but we stopped her from waking you." Chrom says softly.

"Thank the gods for that." Robin sighs. "I may look like a child, but that doesn't mean I still enjoy tag and wrestling…"

"We all guessed as much." The prince chuckles. "Besides, I figured you might want your free time today for something else like reading or playing with Virion."

Chrom still can't see her, but the girl sits up straight. "I have free time today?"

"We took a longer, safer route to the next landmark." Chrom grins. "No foes today if all goes to plan. So taking into account your usual load, that gives you about… six hours free?"

"You aren't giving me extra?"

"Robin, you have the least free time of all of us. It would be _rude_ of me to give you more." The prince scoffs.

"Any by that you mean you took on all the paperwork and chores I usually do on free days." She huffs in amusement.

"Well…" Chrom coughs. "You needed a day off so I figured I could manage for _one_ day. Besides, Cordellia is helping."

"Hmm." Robin hums. She squeezes Chrom in a hug (more so than she is already of course). "Of course you would. Too much just to let me do it or spread it among a few people huh?"

"I have no regrets."

"You will later when you're up all night doing paperwork. Cordelia can only do so much you know." Robin warns.

"One day won't kill me."

The girl snorts. "I'll tell Lissa to bring frogs tomorrow morning. That should get you up."

Chrom turns his head to glare at her. "Don't you dare."

Robin grins back. "You better go to sleep on time then."

###

"That's not fair!" Gangrel snarls, gritting his teeth. "They have our dragon! How'd they get our dragon?!"

"I don't know my king…" Aversa murmurs. "Validar was responsible for keeping her."

"And yet she escaped all the way to Ylisse." The Mad King says, gripping his levin sword. "There's no way we can fight this."

"I know my king…" The dark rider whispers. "We have a plan though."

"The reinforcements, yes." Gangrel laughs weakly. "Right, of course. You have them ready?"

"Of course my lord." Aversa says, hiding a grin.

###

Gangrel's force looks incredibly small. The threat of Robin has scared off all but the most loyal of the king's troops. They want Gangrel captured, not killed, so Robin's job is to scare off whatever units _aren't_ near Gangrel.

Even without Robin's help the fight is one-sided. The Shepherds smash through the plegian lines with only minor resistance. Frederick, Sully, and Stahl wreck havoc on the the frontlines with repeated charges, the Shepherds' foot soldiers are a tide of steel that the plegian's can't fight back, and Virion and the mages bombard the enemy lines with a hail of projectiles.

"Any time now." Gangrel snarls to himself, glancing at the nearby dunes. "Come on Aversa…"

Robin swoops low, spraying a line of acid in the sand to keep back the small flanking group that had been stationed in a nearby fort. The leader, a hero, sweats profusely as he stares up at the dragon. He has a hand-axe at the ready, but doesn't want to provoke the War Dragon into actually attacking.

One of Gangrel's personal guard takes an arrow to the throat and falls. Another takes a fireball and screams as he dies. The dunes around the battlefield remain spotless, with no reinforcements in sight.

"It should be now." The Mad King growls, growing increasingly frantic. "Where are you Aversa?!"

More plegian troops die, and still no sign of the dark flier. At that point, with more than half his guard lying dead, Gangrel realizes something.

"She lied…" The man murmurs. His mouth quirks up into a smile, and he starts to laugh hysterically. "Of course she lied! Did I seriously think I could trust a grimleal?!"

Chrom grimaces at hearing the man's laughter. Gangrel's guard lies dead around him and the man just laughs and laughs.

The Mad King points his sword at Chrom, crying: "all men are alone little prince! I am now, and you will be too! It's only a matter of time!"

Chrom doesn't reward his words with an answer. He draws Falchion and rushes at the man.

###

"It's nice to be able to sleep _properly_ again." Robin hums, watching the party from a table off to the side. "I never realized how annoying sleep was until I had to do it for twenty hours a day…"

"Better than not having enough sleep." Chrom chuckles, taking a sip of his wine. "Virion and I had many sleepless nights during the campaign."

"That's fair enough. Glad I didn't have to deal with that." The girl sighs. She closes four of her eyes as she drinks from her own glass, but the bottom two stay open and watch Chrom.

Chrom has gotten used to many things about Robin: the fact that she turns into a mini Grima, that she could kill them all in an instant, that she's older than she looks, but her six eyes still unnerve him on occasion. "I don't think I'm ever going to get used to that…"

Robin sticks out her tongue. "Sucks to be you, I'm here to stay." She holds up her hand, showing the gold band. "You're the one that proposed to _me_ Chrom."

The prince rolls his eyes, but draps an arm over his fiancee's shoulder. "Yes, and I don't regret it."

A solid argument could be made that their engagement was rushed, they'd only known each other for a year, and more than half of that was during the war where Robin was asleep most of the time, but the fact that Robin was asleep so often was the very reason they got engaged.

Chrom had gone out of his way to make Robin's waking moments more enjoyable, often taking tasks unto himself so she could have free time. He also made himself personally responsible for her comfort. Chrom always let her ride with him, and set up her tent himself whenever she was still sleeping. It also helped that he went out of his way to make sure either Sumia or Virion was free whenever she was so Robin always had someone to talk to or play games with during free time.

Really, Chrom had just gone above and beyond to make her time during the war better overall. Robin could easily imagine being woken up whenever they arrived at a new campsite and being forced to make her own tent while nowhere near rested enough.

"The people are going to have to get used to having an avatar of Grima as their princess though." Chrom jokes.

"And you're going to have to get used to seeing six eyes staring down at you in the morning." Robin adds, and makes a show of blinking each eye individually in rapid succession.

"I suppose I will…" The prince coughs, trying to hold back a shudder. He smiles nonetheless though. "Just don't do that blinking thing..."

"What I just did? Don't worry." Robin laughs, seeing right through him. "I only do that to unnerve you. I promise not to do it too often."

Chrom rolls his eyes. "Just not first thing in the morning please, I've had enough scares waking up already."

"Frog trauma?"

"Too much…"

"I promise only kisses in the morning then." Robin teases. "No scary eye blinking."

"I know you're joking, but I won't argue." Chrom chuckles. "I look forward to the wedding so we can be officially married."

"Well I look forward to the wedding _night_." The girl shoots back, smirking at his furious blush. "You're so pure, I can't wait to have fun with you. Blame Sumia for having all those smut books."

* * *

 **I've noticed I never do romance with male Robin. M!Robin chapters are usually plot oriented and F!Robin stories are usually more romance oriented. Not to say that there's** _ **no**_ **plot in F!Robin chapters (this chapter being a good example), but there's almost always a romance subplot if that's the case (again, last minute romance). Blame it on my personal preference I suppose.**

 **Also, Morgan has only appeared in M!Robin stories so far. That's totally unintentional by the way.**

* * *

 **Guest** **:** Manakete Robin was already on my radar (Scorin suggested it already). Hope you enjoyed.

I'm not so sure double Grima is a thing I'll do. It's not a bad idea by any means, but it's not really Robin is it? It's also not a story I really care to write, I'm not fond of dark stories.

Thanks for the ideas though.

 **The Restless Drifter** **:** I'll keep it on my radar, but kleptomania a _very_ minor trait to try and center a story around. I might have to add that into something else.

 **Rotciv557** **:** I actually never considered that. I always just liked Gangrel to not just be a cartoon villain with stupid 'I kill people because I can!' motivations.

Grimleal Robin and Thief Robin huh? I'll note them down. As for all the new ideas there's guarantee you'll see them anytime _soon_ but they _are_ here in my notes.

 **omegazeroinfi** **:** That would take a long time to make a full story, so you won't see it out of me. If I'm gonna make a full Fire Emblem story I'll be using some of the more fun gimmicks. Glad you like the idea though.

 **Scorin** **:** Necromancer Robin will probably be male, so don't expect romance in that chapter (or the pun).

You have my blessing to go ahead with making stories based on mine by the way. If you decide to go ahead with it, tell me. I want to see your take on them.


	13. Supermagic Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **This was inspired by some of Rotciv557 suggestion for FE7 Robin. This Robin doesn't have any history here though (he has no former experience that he knows of), so it's not quite what he asked for. I just sorta took 'Robin with absurd magical power' and made something out of that.**

 **Hope you still like it though. Alternative title is Robin: Man of War.**

* * *

Thunder rumbles to Chrom's left, and on instinct he glances over to see the attack he knows is coming. The three Risen Great Knights storm across the field, silver lances ready to skewer even the most resilient of the Shepherds.

Thunder rumbles again, this time louder. The sky flashes white, forcing Chrom to cover his eyes, and a lightning bolt slams down from heavens. Even from a half a mile away the hair on Chrom's neck stands on end and he can smell the faint alchemic scent in the air. The three great knights are vaporized, their armor is charred and their flesh totally burned away.

Across the battlefield Robin smiles grimly. The tome in his hand, old and powerful, crackles with yellow energy as the tactician scans for his next target. Finding no good spot he changes back to his usual elthunder tome.

The best and worst part of Mjolnir is that it devastates a sizable area. That makes it great for large battles, but terrible for skirmishes. It also can't be used indoors without destroying everything, which is problematic. The Shepherds learned that the hard way after Robin collapsed the castle's east wing during the assassination attempt on Emmeryn

The Risen have been getting more and more dangerous lately. Generals, great knights, sages, dark knights... all the elite warriors are starting to show up more frequently. More and more often the Shepherds just have to run and let Robin drop lightning on their foes. It's concerning when even Frederick starts to have trouble against their enemies.

It doesn't help that they're missing Cordelia, another one of their best fighters. Her maternity leave couldn't have come at a worse time. Ylisse is technically at peace, but the Risen are as relentless as ever. The army hasn't seen rest with Gangrel's defeat, and even Plegia is getting plagued with Risen crossing the borders from Ylisse and Ferox.

"Miriel, Ricken, focus that general!" Robin barks. "Sumia, Virion, get on that sage! Frederick, Kellam, we've got another hoard to the west, move to intercept!"

The tactician nods as everyone dashes around the battlefield. To someone else it might look like chaos. There are no ranks, no battle lines, and the same types of units (mages for example) aren't grouped together.

Someone smarter might realize that those sorts of things would be an active detriment to the Shepherds. Unlike most other military teams the Shepherds thrived on individual skill, and trying to force everyone to do the same thing at the same time just didn't work for that sort of team. It's what made the Shepherds so deadly in small-unit combat, but frankly awful at large-scale battles.

This was for one simple reason: most of the Shepherds have a personal style. That doesn't work for a normal military where you need every single soldier to know how to do certain things in a very specific way. This is why the Shepherds can only do small fights, as full unit-tactics will almost always beat out individual tactics when each side is large enough.

That's why the Flavia and Basilio took point in the war and the Shepherds just did strike missions. We can't fight armies. It's sort of ironic, Robin's best weapon _excels_ in destroying massive areas, but the squad he commands isn't suited to that sort of battle.

Such is fate Robin supposes.

###

Strictly speaking they had nannies for this, but Robin often found himself with little to do around the castle now that they weren't at war, so he volunteered.

Lucina was not quite the average child. Robin, having very little to do beyond the occasional bouts of planning tactics, had read up on the development of a child, and knew that at six months most children develop stranger anxiety. The blue-haired girl simply hadn't, and was comfortable with even large groups of people (so long as they were quiet). This was why Robin could easily care for her: she wasn't nearly as clingy as Owain.

With Lucina been weaned onto solid foods already, Robin was fully capable of babysitting her without assistance. She often sat in front of him, fiddling with a variety of small toys like wooden blocks, some rough wool, a smooth ball, and a rattle.

Robin often talks to her. Sometimes he narrates whatever he happens to be reading, often (he shamefully admits) just a textbook on one subject or another. He isn't sure if Lucina actually cares though, the little girl just seems to like listening to a voice regardless of what they say. She isn't very chatty, but gives a small "kaa" if Robin gives her a new toy or picks her up, and responds with babbling if he looks her in the eye.

Sometimes Robin wonders if his entire life really revolves around war. It's fairly telling that he can spend his entire day watching someone else's kid because Robin just doesn't have anything he wants to do.

"Gaf!" Lucina chirps, looking at Robin expectantly. The little girl has put down her toys, and is instead waving her arms at him. "Gaa..."

"Right, lunch." Robin murmurs, putting aside the book he was reading on various types of mousetraps. He picks the girl up, letting her head rest on his shoulder as he carries her. "The kitchens should have something made. Probably eel and liver again."

"Baf."

"Baf indeed." Robin agrees. "Good thing you're not an adult. You get mashed apples, I have to deal with _eel_. Yuck."

"Eee-uh, uff." Lucina mumbles back.

###

"Hi-yah! Lissa says, one hand outstretched and the other holding a fire tome. A small fireball flies out from her fingertips. It flickers uncertainty in its flight, and only barley scorches the straw dummy. "Aww…"

"Pretty good." Robin says, patting the girl on the shoulder. "You actually reached the target this time. That's an improvement."

The girl would improve quicker if she practiced more than once or twice a week, but she had a family to deal with including a four month old child so that's not a surprise. "It's so slow though!" Lissa pouts.

"You don't suddenly get good at magic overnight." The tactician chuckles. "I trained for years to get good at it."

"Really?"

"Well probably. Amnesia, remember?"

"Right, right…"

Lissa spends another hour or so practicing with the fire tome. Robin gives as many pointers as he can, but it's gotten to the point that practice is going to help the girl more than advice. She repeats the same action over and over, shooting fireball after fireball at the target. Half of them miss due to Lissa's poor combat abilities, the girl admitted to never having learned a weapon before so she doesn't have the coordination you might expect from even a _normal_ soldier.

Robin wonders if he was ever like this. He doesn't remember of course, but it would be nice to know. He can only offer so much advice without knowing what learning magic is like himself. Sometimes Robin wonders just how much of his life is missing, how many important events will he never know about? How many experiences have shaped him that he just doesn't realize?

"Ahhh! Robin!" Lissa panics. She waves her hand at a tree behind the target. She accidentally struck it and set it on fire.

This was something Robin expected to happen at some point. He pulls out an elwind tome and uses the blade of green wind to snap off the flaming branch. It's a simple matter to stomp out the flames after that.

After that incident, both of them agree that perhaps they should probably stop for the day.

###

"Face it Robin, you're lonely."

The tactician raises an eyebrow as he looks up from his book. "Your daughter will be right here you know. Are you saying she's not good company?"

The prince rolls his eyes. "Very funny Robin. You know what I mean, you spend all your time reading or doing favours. If we didn't invite you to dinner so often, you would go a week without talking to anyone."

"Hey, I like reading."

Chrom gives him a flat look. "Really? So that 'Art of Cheese Making' book in your hand is really that enthralling?"

Well Robin wouldn't say it's _boring_ … but it's not great either. "Okay, fair point."

"At least get a hobby or something."

"Re-"

" _Aside_ from reading."

"But I don't _like_ many things aside from reading Chrom." Robin sighs. "Unless you want a bunch of craters all around the countryside, in which case I'd be _more_ than happy to practice more with Mjolnir."

"Well I can't say I encourage that." The prince coughs. "But you know what I mean."

The tactician grumbles, but doesn't disagree. "Whatever. Now scoot, you had some play to go watch right?"

"Right, right. Thanks again for taking care of Lucina." Chrom mumbles, and slips out the door.

"Need a hobby..." Robin huffs. He ruffles the little girl's hair, and she looks up at him curiously. "I don't need a hobby, right Luci? Reading is a great use of my time!"

"La!" Lucina chirps. She reaches up at bats at his yellow hair with her little fists.

"Exactly. Good to see you agree."

###

"Ah, greetings Robin!" Virion says, and gives a dramatic bow. "How does the day find you?"

"Just fine Virion." The tactician grunts, settling down in a nearby chair. "You called for me?"

"Indeed I did. I wish to consult you on a new plan I devised for our Risen patrols." The man murmurs, pulling out a familiar map of Ylisse.

For the next few hours the two tacticians pour over the map and the details for Virion's new plan. Where Robin is decidedly better in battle tactics, Virion excels in organization which includes patrols, supply trains, guard schedules, and so on. Really Virion is more well-rounded than Robin, it's just that Robin happens to be better at a very specific thing that attracts a lot of attention.

Really, Robin doesn't know why Virion asks his advice on anything but matters of battle. It's rare the yellow-haired tactician knows better than the rossannite, but time and time again Virion comes to ask Robin's opinion on one thing or another.

"I don't know what to tell you Virion, you've covered every question I can think to ask." The tactician admits.

"Nonsense, your insight has been valuable." Virion scoffs. His expression softens a bit, and without his usual flare he murmurs. "Besides it looked to me like you could use a distraction, no? Something to put that brain of yours to use. Heaven knows a few sporadic Risen raids, dangerous as they may be, aren't enough to focus on full time."

Robin releases a breath and sits back in his chair. "I'm that obvious, huh?"

"Subtlety was never a strength of yours my friend."

"I… I don't seem to have any other skills." Robin admits in frustration. "I know tactics and not much else. Maybe combat, but that's also for fighting."

"You are a man of war in a very literal sense." Virion agrees.

"I can't even help the military at all now that the war is done." Robin sighs. "I'm not great at training people and not good at organization. The _only_ thing I could do is teach tactics, and despite my fame there are very few people willing to accept lessons from someone half their age."

"Indeed. Unfortunately many tacticians of Ylisse are old and set in their ways." The archer hums. "You claim to be bad at training other in anything but tactics, but aren't you teaching Lissa magic?"

"Yeah, only because everyone else wasn't willing to because Lissa can't practice very often." The man grumbles. It was true, Miriel wasn't willing to teach someone who couldn't put in the effort to get good, and Ricken got frustrated with Lissa's _absurdly_ slow rate of advancement very quickly. That left only Robin, who wasn't a great teacher but was at least passable. "What do I do Virion?"

"Why that's simple." The man chuckles. "Learn a new skill. You have the time my friend, don't try to tell me you don't. Stop reading books on mousetraps and pick up a guide to carpentry, or if you prefer something more strategic I am fully willing to teach you the intricacies of running a country. I'm sure the captain would appreciate the help. You don't lack skill, you lack effort."

That was painful to hear, but Robin has to admit the archer is right. Robin hadn't really been trying, he'd been sitting around waiting for… well, waiting for a new war. He told himself he didn't want one, and in a certain sense he didn't. He didn't want to put his friends at risk, but war was the only time he was actually useful, and in recent times that was limited to the Risen patrols where he could gleefully obliterate them with Mjolnir.

"Alright." Robin mutters, sounding defeated. "I suppose I should find something else."

"You _don't_ want to learn something else?"

"Not really." The tactician admits. "War is my passion, everything else sorta pales in comparison…"

Virion sighs and pats him on the back. "But you do enjoy helping your friends, yes?"

"Of course."

"Then use that as your motivator." The archer says firmly. "Perhaps there won't be the same rush as battle, but you can still satisfy yourself with being useful."

"Satisfy myself…" Robin mumbles. "I suppose there really isn't a replacement for war, huh?"

"Such is the price of being a man of war." Virion agrees. "When peace comes around your life is upended, and you may never find the same sense of purpose."

"I _fought_ to stop the only thing that gave me direction in life." Robin sighs.

"For the benefit of your friends." The archer reminds him.

"Well of course." The yellow-haired man sighs. "I'll consider it at least."

"Good."

###

Virion's advice (and teaching) proves to be a good idea. Robin doesn't like it, but learning the ins and outs of running a country gives him something useful to do rather than just sit around the library all day. It isn't as enthralling as the rush of combat, but at least it requires some effort and is somewhat like combat. Maybe he isn't figuring out how to best take defeat packs of wyvern riders, but figuring out to fight poverty is at least _somewhat_ similar.

Okay, maybe it's not _that_ similar. They both take strategy though, allocation of resources, making sure not to weaken other areas… there _are_ similarities, but that doesn't make them similar. Those sort of things are common to _all_ sorts of organization, combat or otherwise.

Robin isn't sure if Virion told Chrom, but at dinner one night the prince asks Robin how his training is going. The tactician replies honestly that it's slow going, but at least he's making progress.

Chrom says, and Robin isn't sure how seriously, that when Robin is confident in his abilities that the prince wouldn't mind having his help because 'running a country is a pain in the backside'.

The yellow-haired man considerer reminding Chrom that he doesn't have the authority to hand him such a position, but quickly realizes that Emmeryn would be perfectly content to let him as well.

Robin smiles politely, thanking the prince for his kindness, but admits he's unsure how long it will take for him to reach an acceptable skill level.

The tactician's schedule actually isn't that different than it was before. He still watches Lucina once a week, he still helps Lissa whenever she has free time, and still spends a lot of time in the library. However, rather than looking at books about _mousetraps_ or something he puts in the effort to find books on politics, economics, and the laws of Ylisse.

Maribelle lends him a book on the last one. Wanting to be a magistrate, she has _plenty_ of material on all things law related.

However Robin has to admit a certain excitement whenever a Risen hunt is announced. He's adapted to his new role as councilman-in-training, but he doubts the rush of battle will ever be beaten.

###

"Time to tip the scales!" The tactician hollers, and decisively moves the piece representing his tactician to the front lines. "And I get… five!"

"My my, well done." Virion chuckles, removing his great knight. "Though I would mostly chalk that up to a lucky roll."

"Well yeah, this game is mostly luck." Robin chuckles. "But still fairly good. I still think War of Worlds is better."

"To that, I will agree." The archer nods. "Did you hear that they came out with a new addition? It brings units like manaketes, taguel, and the leguz into the rules."

"No kidding? We'll have to buy it then. Nowi was a terror on the battlefield, so I hope these rules do her justice." The man hums.

"My, so quick to downplay our dear Panne."

"Well she was good too, but she couldn't take twenty arrows and come out basically unharmed." Robin snorts.

"I will concede your point." Virion laughs. "Though perhaps her strengths merely lie elsewhere?"

"Obviously." The tactician scoffs.

Robin never had times for board games during the war, but he is _very_ glad Virion introduced him to them. His battle tactics _aren't_ useless outside of war! The two of them had tried out several strategy games from Chess to War of Worlds to Canyon Clash, and Robin takes great joy in finding the best team compositions in each system.

With these gaming sessions in his life Robin finds everything a lot more bearable. It scratches the itch he has for battle, and allows him to focus on his training knowing that he doesn't have to brood on when he can next flex his tactical prowess.

"In fact…" Virion says with a sly grin, pulling out a new box. "I went out of my way to purchase it a few days ago. Care to test it? We still have a few hours tonight."

Robin's grin couldn't be wider. "I'm gonna stomp you with dragons."

"You can try my friend. Let me remind you our winrate is fifty-fifty."

"That's because you suicide-attack my commander all the time!"

"Well it works, doesn't it?"

* * *

 **This chapter took a turn I didn't expect. I had originally planned this chapter to focus on the valmese war and put Morgan in again. Instead it ended up being a story about Robin trying to find purpose after his skills aren't really needed anymore.**

 **It's weird how plans can change.**

* * *

 **Scorin** **:** I was actually treating Robin's manakete status as unique to her, meaning neither of her parents were manakete but she is due to being an avatar of Grima.

We actually do have a decent idea of how Manakete mature. Let's look at Tiki. Taking from the Fire Emblem wiki, we know she was born 500 years before the start of the archanean calendar (which doesn't give us a good time stamp), but she was a kid around the time of Marth so we assume (based on Nowi) that she's about one-thousand years old. This is reinforced by the fact that she was asleep for about a thousand years before she was woken up in Marth's time, so 1000 to 1500 years is a good guess for those games. Then, two thousand years later, we get Awakening. Therefor a young adult manakete is about 3000 to 3500 years old based on Tiki's appearance. We also know from Nowi's ramblings on event tiles that Bantu is possibly still alive in Awakening, so we don't know if old age can kill manaketes.

However, as a half-manakete Nah already looks as old as her mother, but her supports with Tiki show us that Nah will probably outlive all the humans in Awakening, so being half-manakete probably has its own life-extending qualities. Based on that I have to assume that, if Nah is the same age as the other future children, that half-manaketes age normally up until the age of about ten to twelve, and only _then_ do they slow down. We don't exactly know if this applies to normal manaketes, but if it does then Robin could be a normal manakete who just happens to be really young because of their initially human-like development.

In other words: bla bla bla, research and shit, Robin could be half-manakete, a normal manakete, or whatever the hell you want to think she is.

I appreciate your advice for writing autism, but the chapter is already written. I was debating over whether it's a good idea to post it at all. Autism is a touchy subject, and some people might not appreciate me mangling it's representation.

That's a decent point for romance. I guess I just tend to overlook romance when writing male Robin. This chapter, for example, I was planning on having romance in. First I was considering Olivia (and then decided she would be back in Ferox because she wouldn't stick around after fighting in only one chapter), then Miriel (too studious, very few shared interests), and then Virion ( good chemistry, shared interests, but the story unfortunately flowed better _without_ the romance).

Maybe it's just me though. I always sneak romance into the female Robin stories, so perhaps I just have to try harder.

 **XenoEmblem4TW** **:** I ain't gonna do _another_ manakete Robin just to make them male. But some other sort of shapeshifter might work. I'll put it on the list.

 **Invisible Prince** **:** We'll see… M!Morgan tends to be left out because female Robin chapters focus on romance and having a random kid in there ruins chemistry. Don't get me wrong, I _love_ M!Morgan too, and if this weren't a compilation focused on Robin we would see a _lot_ more of him.

I'll see about adding him in, but there's a good chance he won't fit the story very well.

 **Guest** **:** You misunderstand, the chapter is already written. I'm just hesitant to actually post it because some people are rather touchy about autism. It's not something I can just throw out there. I've done my research already, but thank you for trying to help anyways.

Added Pirate Robin to the list.


	14. Autistic Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **This chapter is coming from someone with no personal experience with this condition. I don't have it myself and I don't know anyone else who has professed to have it… at least from what I know. I've done research, but this is still little more than an educated guess (and I use the term educated** _ **very**_ **loosely, research on the internet only goes so far).**

 **Needless to say this is a bit of a touchy subject for some people, so I'm reluctant to post this chapter. However you all seem to want it (judging by how you've all ignored how I said this chapter was** _ **already finished**_ **and tried to give suggestions on how to write it), so I'm posting this anyways.**

 **This was suggested by Scorin. Here's to hoping I did this right.**

* * *

Robin didn't like the council. Despite Emmeryn claiming it to be a place of 'calm conversation', the truth was that council meetings often devolved into shouting matches between the members as each tried to push their own agenda. The representatives of the dukes (as the dukes themselves couldn't stay in Ylisstol all year and only showed up for important meetings) never spoke truthfully, and Robin _hates_ liars.

The white-haired girl was _horrible_ at reading people. She could barely tell the emotions of others as is, and the councilmembers were almost unreadable due to masking what emotion they had. The men usually feign calm, and even when they usually show anger it's a lie to seem more powerful or try to sway others. The women are even worse, as they show one emotion when feeling another, and speak in lies, exaggerations, and half-truths even more than the men do.

Basically Robin hated the people _in_ the council just as much as she hated attending the council itself. The _only_ person the tactician could be sure was being truthful was Chrom, as the prince made little to no attempt to mask his thoughts and feelings. Emmeryn or Frederick often have to hold him back from yelling at some councilmember for their stupidity.

Robin always sits next to Chrom when she attends council. He doesn't question when she pulls up her hood to block out the noise when people start to argue. It's not that she can't deal with it, she's been on the battlefield and can deal with noise when she has to, but if she has the choice Robin would prefer _not_ to hear people shout at each other especially when it's because of their own refusal to consider the needs of others.

When the arguing inevitably started,Robin wouldn't just pull up her hood, she would also slowly rock back and forth as a way to relieve her tension. Something about the loud noise put her on edge and the movement helped alleviate the need to do something, _anything_.

"Gods above." Robin murmurs, glaring from beneath her hood at the stupid man who insisted his duchy was somehow more deserving of extra funds than all the others. Her grip on the sides of her hood tightens. "Why must so many people with power be _stupid_?"

"You tell me." Chrom murmurs back, his face sporting a similar glare. "Thank Naga Emmeryn is in charge of the realm and not one of _these_ people."

Both of them can feel the disapproving gaze of Frederick, but the knight has no words to refute them and stays quiet.

"When is break?" Robin asks, allowing herself to start rocking a bit.

"Half an hour." Chrom grunts. "You fine?"

"Managing."

"Hmm…" The blue-haired boy reassuringly puts a hand on her shoulder. Robin grits her teeth and stays quiet. She doesn't want to push him away by admitting that his touch puts her even _more_ on edge.

Touch isn't as bad as it used to be, back when they first met a simple touch on her arm made her mind _scream_ at her that she was in danger, now it's just a feeling of immense caution like watching a wasp circle your head.

That being said, Robin would prefer touch be limited to situations when she's _not_ already anxious. Her own calm (unfortunately) has to be valued over Chrom's good intentions.

"Chrom."

"Yes?"

"Could you remove your hand?" She asks softly. "You're making it worse."

"Ah." He instantly pulls away, wincing. "Sorry."

"It's fine. Focus on council." The girl says curtly.

Council starts to go long as Emmeryn tries, and fails, to calm down the councilmembers. Eventually Robin just stands up and leaves, she wants to keep her schedule and it's clear no headway will be made for now.

She supposes there's no reason to hurry, it's not like a late break will change anything, but Robin appreciates order and familiarity. If no headway will be made, why _not_ leave and take the extra time to calm down?

Food for break is already out, and Robin walks to the same seat she always takes. It's telling that, out of all the seats in the room, this is the _only_ spot where a plate lies ready. Robin gets the same thing every time, so the servants have taken to just leaving a plate of food at her usual seat.

Now _that_ is good customer service.

###

"Bah, I don't have time for this!" The representative from Baldor snaps. He straightens his fancy vest, twirls on his heel, and struts away from the tactician. Robin scowls at the man's retreating back and, when no one's looking, sticks up her middle finger at him.

"I can see your talk went well." Chrom says, falling into step next to her as they leave the castle. " _Clearly_ he was receptive to your advice."

"Is that sarcasm?" Robin asks. While she's been getting better at recognizing them, the tactician still has a hard time with jokes and sarcasm. It's just an extension of her being awful at reading people.

"Yes, yes it is." He chuckles.

"Hmm…" Robin frowns. "It looked like he just got angry out of nowhere though. Did I do something?"

"He was annoyed since you started talking to him." Chrom admits, smirking. "I think he knew you were right and just didn't want to hear it."

The tactician's frown deepens. "So he just left? That's childish."

"I suppose it is." Chrom agrees.

The two of them walk down the castle stairs (all one-hundred and seven of them, Robin counted) and over to the west a few minutes. The Shepherd's barracks is only a few minutes away, and soon the pair are walking through the clean stone exterior into the rather messy interior. The ground is littered with papers, boxes and barrels lie unstacked, unlabeled, and with no sign that anyone is actually moving them to the storage room.

"Of course the _one_ day Emmet and Frederick are busy, no one else bothers to do their jobs." Chrom sighs, picks up some papers. and starts looking through them. "Hmm… inventory updates, financial reports, and I think these are some of your new maps." He hands her a few of the thicker, slightly yellowed sheets.

"These shouldn't be on the ground." Robin frowns. She carefully rolls up the maps and locates the protective wooden tubes they came in. "Someone even took them out and didn't put them back." She says anxiously. Robin doesn't like things being messy, she feels like she _has_ to fix it before she can relax.

"That sounds like Vaike to me." The prince murmurs, and stoops low to grab some other papers. "Let's start with the papers, those are easily damaged. Hopefully 'Teach' didn't ruin any."

The two quickly set about collecting the stray parchment. A few more maps and sleeves are found (thankfully whole an unharmed) and the reports are all put into one pile. Chrom puts the papers in the office and Robin moves the maps to the strategy room, and they meet back in entry room.

"Should we get someone else?" Robin asks, testing the weight of one of the crates. It'll take both of them to lift most of these. "I don't doubt we can do it ourselves, but I'm supposed to muck out the stables later and I don't want my back aching going _into_ that. Cleaning the stables is bad enough as is…"

"The way I see it, if we do Vaike's job for him, he'll be so _grateful_ that he'll take your chores for the rest of the day." Chrom says.

The tactician tilts her head. "I kinda doubt that…"

The blue-haired man barks a laugh. "I mean since Vaike failed to do his job, if _we_ do this I'll make him clean out the stables instead of you."

"Oh."

"And that would leave both our afternoons free I think." Chrom says with a smile. "Right?"

"Yes, unless you have some other work I don't know about." Robin blinks, not seeing where this is going.

"So if neither of us are busy after this, what would you say to joining me for dinner?" Chrom offers coyly.

Robin blinks. Why would he offer that? The food at the barracks is perfectly fine. Sully isn't cooking tonight, so there's no need to evacuate. "Um…"

"I know a place that serves delicious Valmese food not to far away." Chrom continues, keeping up his smile.

" _He must be referring to a 'restaurant'._ " Robin thinks, her brows furrowing. Restaurants were something unique to Ylisse. Most of the upper class in all countries had personal chefs, and as such there was no need to go somewhere else to eat. In Ylisse however (or at least Ylisstol), these strange things called 'restaurants' were popular among the high class and rich merchants. They served foreign delicacies at high prices, but knew how to prepare the dishes far better than a house chef due to practice and experience. "I suppose I could come along. Why though? Did the dinner schedule change? Is Sully cooking tonight instead of Stahl?"

"No, no." Chrom coughs, his large grin falling into a small nervous smile (at least Robin _thinks_ his expression is one of nervousness. Again, she is _awful_ at reading people). "I uh… I want to treat my friend, and I know you're not a fan of the big outings so I figured just me and you might be more _acceptable_."

Friend huh. Robin didn't think merely being his friend warranted being treated to dinner. That sounded more like something you'd do for…

"Oh…." The tactician murmurs, eyes widening. "You're courting me, aren't you?"

The boy _immediately_ looks away and coughs into his fist. "Well, erm…"

"Chrom. You know I can't work with subtleties." Robin says bluntly. "Tell me."

The blue-haired prince takes a deep breath, flushing red. "Y-Yes Robin, I am."

"Okay then." She murmurs. "Is that why your face is red?"

"Yes!" He huffs, turning away. "Usually people don't get called out the _first_ time they make a move."

"So I did something wrong…?" Robin asks.

"Well no, it's just not what I expected." Chrom admits. "Anyways, if that's cleared up we should get to work. These boxes won't move and label themselves."

"Right, right."

###

Chrom has chosen a nice place: a small, less frequented location that was devoid of the loud, pompous nobles that sometimes visited more popular restaurants.

Robin hated those sort of people. Unlike the councilmen they didn't lie, but they seemed to forget that politeness was a thing that you needed even when you were of high class yourself. This place, however, was nice and quiet. The decoration wasn't overly gaudy or distracting, and the clientele was similarly low-key being mostly merchants and some of the lesser elite.

The tactician expects everyone to fawn over Chrom the same way those at court tried to suck up to him, but is surprised when the servant ('waitress' Chrom corrects) greets Chrom with familiarity and bows politely to Robin before showing them to a table.

Dinner is as good as Chrom said it would be. Knowing this is a date Robin steers away from talking about the council meetings, and instead focuses on asking Chrom about himself. Some things he tells her she already knows (like that he tends to break stuff when training, be that wooden swords or straw dummies) but other things are new. She didn't know, for example, that Frederick had made posters of him and attached them to the inside of the Shepherds' tents. Apparently Robin had been asleep while the entire thing happened.

"Hold up…" Robin says, holding back a smirk. "That picture wouldn't happen to be you, naked, holding a scale would it?"

"Yes." Chrom says, face immediately turning apprehensive. "How do you know that…?"

The girl doesn't bother to hide her grin this time. She saw one is Sumia's room, maybe the girl got it before Chrom could tear it down. "I saw one somewhere."

"Where?!" The prince says urgently, and Robin laughs.

"Sumia has one." The tactician admits.

"S-Sumia?" Chrom stammers. "Gods, I can't just ask if she has it, that would be awkward."

"Just let the girl have her poster." Robin laughs. "Just think, some day ten years in the future she'll bring that thing out and you'll have a good laugh about it."

"Maybe everyone else will..." The prince grumbles, pouting.

Unfortunately Robin doesn't remember her past, so most of the evening is just her asking Chrom questions. It's still pleasant though, and certainly an evening well spent in Robin's opinion.

###

Changing natural reactions is hard, but possible. Miriel told Robin in no uncertain terms that yes, her touch aversion could be mitigated. There was no guarantee it would go away completely, but she could certainly reduce that anxiety that came along with it.

The process wasn't fun though. According to Miriel the only real way to get used to something was to do it, and do it frequently. Eventually your mind would adapt, realizing that there was no danger, and the anxiety would lessen.

Robin was thankful for Chrom's patience in this. He found it a bit bizarre when she started to ask if she could hold his hand all the time, but the prince followed along without complaint. At first it _sucked_. It was like holding a slug or something, not in the sense that Chrom was slimy but in the sense that she had the same _get the hell away from me_ feeling.

It took a few months before Robin started to feel mildly comfortable with Chrom (and _only_ Chrom. Everyone else is still a no-go). During that time Risen outbreaks started to become more frequent, and Robin found herself constantly on the move chasing the more dangerous packs with the Shepherds.

She hated how it ruined her schedule. Robin couldn't have her lunch at exactly noon anymore, as engagements or the need to get somewhere quickly made daily plans a complete toss up. It was annoying not to be certain of anything, but it was also her job (with a bit of help from Emmet) to try and keep some semblance of order as they moved around. Knowing she was doing something to solve the chaos helped calm her nerves a bit.

It was almost ironic. Her tactics and strategies were only useful amidst times of chaos, the times she hated the most. To be fair _most_ people hated times of chaos, so perhaps Robin wasn't special there. She just got more worked up than others.

Robin often found herself hiding in Chrom's tent. Thanks to Frederick's attention to detail the prince's tent always looked the same, and if there was something Robin liked it was consistency. It was almost calming to stay there, and if Chrom wasn't using his fold-up desk she would often commandeer it rather than move to the strategy tent or her own tent.

"You know there's a bigger table in the strategy tent, right?" Lissa says, peeking into her brother's tent. "Seriously Robin, it's gotten to the point people are starting to look here first and the strategy tent second."

Robin huffs, and dunks her quill in ink to recoat it. "I know, but I like it here. What is it this time?"

"Emmet wanted to give you a report." Lissa sighs, walking over and dropping a single sheet of parchment on the desk. "Something about weapons you ordered."

"Ah, the javelins." The tactician murmurs, picking up and reading. "Good, right on time. Do you know if Emmet distributed them to-"

"Go ask yourself." Lissa groans, rolling her eyes. "Seriously, stop living in my brother's tent. That's how bad rumors are made ya know?"

As Lissa ducks out, Robin reluctantly picks herself up and leaves as well. Maybe the princess has a point.

###

Everyone joked that the only reason Robin proposed to him was just so that she had an excuse to hide in his tent. It was all in good humor of course (even if Robin _did_ , in fact, use that very excuse).

Chrom still thought Robin was a bit strange. She gets anxious easily, was even worse than him at discerning lies, and has a hard time reading emotions.

Then again, calling Robin 'strange' was a bit unfair considering the Shepherds were well-known for their eccentricities. Perhaps among the upper class of Ylisstol she stood out, but among the Shepherds she could be argued to be the most _normal_. She didn't consistently lose her weapons and call herself by a nickname, she didn't have a crippling fear of women, and she wasn't secretly a thousand year old dragon.

Maybe it was just because Chrom spent so much time around her that, to him at least, she stood out even more than everyone else.

"Chrom, seriously, stop." Robin says, her hands falling firmly on his shoulders. "The reports can wait. You're too tired, you've been staring at the same lines for five minutes."

The prince sighs, admitting defeat. The sky outside was dark, and he'd spent the entire day doing paperwork already. His wife was right, he should sleep. His mind was wandering to her too much to think about the reports.

Chrom stands up, blows out the candle, and slides into his bedroll. He's surprised a moment later when Robin nudges him to the side a bit and slides in with him. Chrom can barely make out her shape in the darkness as she wraps her arms around him and pulls herself tightly against him.

"What happened to the 'no sharing beds' rule?" Chrom laughs quietly, but returns the hug.

"Hush." Robin mumbles sleepily. "We're married. Special case."

And to think, once upon a time, she would flinch at his touch. Chrom could never be more thankful of all those times she forced herself to hold his hand despite her discomfort so she could get used to physical contact. It would have pained him if he couldn't kiss his own wife.

* * *

 **I think this chapter turned out okay. I hope my portrayal of autism wasn't too off. Honestly, about half way through I kinda stopped thinking about this Robin as 'autistic' and just started to consider her as someone who's hyper-sensitive to touch, hates loud noises, and likes routines. A few quirks were dropped in the making of this due to their complexity or just how poorly they fit into the story.**

 **Needless to say this is a** _ **massive**_ **over-simplification of autism, but I honestly don't think I can cram all the little details into a story this short.**

* * *

 **Kamencolin** **:** I'm gonna have to say no to that. Crossovers make things complicated very quickly, and something like that deserves a multi-part story that I can't give right now.

 **Guest** **:** Both noted, I _love_ those ideas!

 **ScorinVoidseeker** **:** Oh don't worry, I was waiting on you to review before I updated. I know you tend to review every chapter, so I wait for either you to review or a full week before updating (assuming my chapter is finished of course).

Good to know it was well-received. It went completely off-track from what I expected, so I wasn't sure how good it would be.

I thought that too, though I also think I could have just paired M!Robin with Virion and it would have worked just as well. Virion is just a really good support for either Robin.

I hadn't considered Sully, I tend to forget about her.

Thanks for the help (though the next chapter has M!Robin romance,and it's already written, so expect it within a day or two after this update! We'll see how I did).

And I look forward to your first story. Best of luck.


	15. Necromancer Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **Two posts in one day, enjoy!**

* * *

Risen they were called. Atrocities from beyond the grave, animating the peaceful dead into horrific mockeries of who they once were.

Chrom had the displeasure of fighting them on his way back to Ylisstol, and when he reported them to Emmeryn he discovered that they were suddenly running rampant all over Ylisse. They emerged in the dead of night, rising from graves and old battlefields, or shambling out of forests covered in plants and dirt. The coastal cities have even reported the monsters climbing out from the sea with rusted axes in hand.

Chrom's Shepherds are running themselves ragged trying to take down the more dangerous packs. They run from border to border hunting down dangerous great knights or alleviating tired village defenders until proper defences can be built.

During those sporadic times when Chrom returns to Ylisstol he consults with Emmeryn, Phila, and Ylisse's remaining generals. They point him to new areas in need of help, or particularly tough bands of Risen.

In those meetings Chrom also learns of the so-called 'dead zone' in Risen activity. It's a small safe area consisting of a single forest and its surroundings where there have been no Risen attacks. That's not to say there haven't been Risen _sightings,_ but rather than attacking the Risen ignore those nearby entirely and instead all make their way to the forest.

The Risen are gathering, and the council doesn't know why. Chrom and his Shepherds are sent to investigate this unusual behaviour and discover what is drawing the Risen in.

###

There's something watching them. Frederick spotted it, a Risen cavalier watching them from a distance. Unlike all other Risen they've met so far the cavalier doesn't immediately attack. It calmly monitors them, unmoving. When they approach, it backs off. When the Shepherds keep moving, it shadows them.

They move deeper and deeper into the forest, and more and more Risen start to appear. First it's a pegasus knight flying overhead, then a myrmidon following them from behind, and then a mage walking alongside the cavalier.

"Chrom, we're surrounded." Lissa mumbles.

"I know Lissa, but if we attack they might too." I murmur back.

Frederick isn't happy about this either. "Nonetheless, I think we should attack before there are too many of them Milord."

Something else steps out of the bushes, a cloaked figure with a thunder tome in hand. "There you are! I almost forgot where I sent these guys. It woulda helped if you stopped moving you know."

Chrom blinks. "You sent the Risen?"

"Yeah. I've been looking for a way out of this stupid forest for a _week_." He huffs. "They found hills and plains but no roads or towns… it was such a hassle."

The blue-haired prince isn't sure how to react to that. This man, in his greamleal cloak, is clearly a necromancer, but he's not hostile. "Well uh… we're not a town or road, but we know how to get to a few."

"Milord." Frederick murmurs. "Perhaps we should _not_ show the grimleal the way to our cities?"

" _That's a fair point._ " Chrom thinks, frowning. " _But I should judge based on actions, not expectations. That said some prudence is in order._ " He takes a deep breath. "Why do you have Risen under your control?"

"I dunno to be honest. I just woke up in the forest with an army of undead." He shrugs. "Then I figured out I could order them around. Weird huh?"

"Weird indeed." Frederick mutters, eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What do you mean you 'just woke up'?"

"I can't remember anything really." The man admits. "Just that my name's Robin and that I'm a tactician."

"I've heard of this, it's called amnesia!" Lissa gasps.

"It's called a load of pegasus dung." Frederick grumbles.

"And what if it's not?" Chrom says back. "It's our job to help the lost, and if Robin can truly control Risen he might be able to help us."

"It's your call Milord…"

"I'm going to have to ask you to leave your troops behind though, people don't react well to Risen walking the roads." The prince says firmly to the boy.

"That's fair." Robin shrugs. "But I don't know how big my range is for control. I don't want them to run rampant when I move too far away."

"Oh, that's a problem." Chrom mutters. "How large _is_ your control range?"

"I dunno." Robin shrugs. "I've never sent my troops far enough away to find out, but my journal tells me I have a definite range." He taps his coat, knocking against a book hidden within. "It doesn't tell me what that range is though."

"Okay then." The prince says. "How many troops do you have on you? Could we just kill them…?"

"I have two hundred, including thirty elites." The man says bluntly. "And I'd prefer they don't go to waste."

"Two hundred?" Frederick murmurs, grimacing. "Gods above."

Chrom's brow furrows as he ponders the situation. "Well you're going to have to stay out of the city then. Do you have a tent, food, water?"

"All of the above." He nods, and beckons forwards one of the risen behind him. A massive armored general stomps forwards, and then turns to the side revealing a backpack, bedroll, and bundled tent. "I have enough supplies for a few weeks."

"Okay then." The prince nods. "You'll follow us to the outskirts of Ylisstol, and then hide your army in the nearby forest. We'll come back to you in a few days with more supplies, and to talk about your situation."

###

"Milady this is a _terrible_ idea." Phila says bluntly.

"I must concur your Highness." Frederick agrees. "There is no need for you to see the man yourself."

"I disagree. This man, Robin, holds tremendous power and has been kind enough to wait on us despite being refused entry to the city. It would be disrespectful for me to not see him myself." Emmeryn asserts. "Besides, I am hardly unprotected. I have the Shepherds and some of the pegasus corps here with me."

Chrom says nothing. He just hopes this meeting goes well.

They walk down a small hunting trail. The birds chirp and a squirrel leaps from a branch to reach some nuts. There's absolutely no indication that an entire army of Risen are hiding just a mile or two deep in the forest.

The pegasus knights fly just above the treetops, making wide circles around the group on the ground. Sully and Stahl flank Emmeryn, Chrom, Lissa, Phila, and Frederick as they march forwards, the rest of the Shepherds trail just behind the main group, and Kellam brings up the rear with his massive shield.

Eventually Robin must have noticed their approach because the Risen just off the path stop hiding and emerge from the trees and undergrowth. The watch silently as the squad passes, red eyes trained on the small group of people in the lead.

Eventually they reach the clearing where Robin is staying. His tent is set up to the side with a fire burning in the middle, surrounded by rocks. A sizable stack of firewood is set up to the side, and even as they enter a Risen grabs a new piece to lay on the fire.

"Oh, hi." Robin greets, looking up from his seat on a nearby log. He has his journal in hand and seemed to be in the process of writing something. His eyes quickly fix on Emmeryn. "You look important, who are you?"

Phila bristles, but Emmeryn smiles and bows. "My name is Emmeryn, I'm Chrom's older sister."

" _And_ the Exalt of Ylisse." Phila adds curtly, glaring at Robin.

"Well hey Emm." The grey-haired tactician greets amicably, totally ignoring the usual formality that would be expected of someone greeting royalty. "What brings you here? I was expecting just your brother and his goons."

"Screw you!" Sully snaps, glaring.

"See? They scowl and frown all the time. Goons." Robin says, grinning cheekily. "So what's up?"

"I came to visit the man Chrom told me about." Emmeryn replies, moving over next to him. "May I sit?"

"Sure." The tactician scoots over to make room. The Exalt of Ylisse delicately takes a seat next to him.

"It would seem my brother put you in a curious situation." She murmurs. "I apologize that we cannot allow you into the city."

"Well that's partially my fault. If I didn't care so much about about keeping my troops I could just let them be killed peacefully and walk in without conflict." Robin shrugs. "But I have an army and I don't know why, so I think it might be a good idea to keep it around. Besides, if what I heard from Chrom is true it would seem Ylisse is having some troubles lately, and my army might be able to help."

"And you're willing to offer it despite our behaviour so far?"

"I hardly think you all being suspicious is a good reason to refuse to help." Robin scoffs. "Besides, they coulda attacked me on sight but didn't. That's a pretty good reception for a guy leading around an army of corpses."

Emmeryn smiles. "Well thank you then. We are very grateful for your offer of assistance."

"Just point me in the right direction." Robin grins. "My Risen will take care of the rest."

###

"There's nowhere to run!" Robin cackles, eyes reflecting the flash of his lighting bolt. "My army is upon you, give up!"

As much as Chrom knows the tactician in on their side, it's eerie to see him slaughter a group of bandits and immediately reanimate them as his servants. Over the last two months his army has grown from two hundred to four.

The current band scatters, screaming as the undead horsemen bear down on them. A Risen dark knight brings down a levin sword, silencing one brigand, and a group of cavaliers impale several more.

Robin himself strikes down the leader at long range with a well-placed arcthunder. The mages acting under him follow suit, barraging the area with a hail of fire and extinguishing the few bandits that stick by their leader.

The Shepherds are only there to provide a barrier, preventing the brigands from trying to run towards the village. Robin's Risen take care of the actual fighting so as to not put human lives in danger.

It unnerves Chrom how his personality flips when commanding his army. He goes from laid back and casual to manic and ruthless.

The prince is glad he isn't on the wrong side of Robin's attack.

###

"You're either the _least_ busy leader I've ever seen, or you're going out of your way to visit me." Robin says cheekily, relaxing against a log like usual.

"It would be rude not to make free time for someone so important." The Exalt hums, sipping from her cup.

"Emm, we're having tea and chatting." The tactician snorts. "I hardly consider that important."

"I must disagree, spending time with those I'm close to is _very_ important." Emmeryn murmurs. "My work loses its meaning if I forget who I do it for. That includes the people yes, but also my siblings… and you as well Robin."

"I think I'm included in 'your people' by this point Emm." Robin chuckles.

"Again I disagree. At worst you are a friend, and my friends are more than the faceless, numerous people of the country." The exalt responds. "I care for them, and hear their stories and plights, but someone who I know better than most can't be considered just another face in the crowd."

"Good to know I'm remembered." The tactician snorts.

"Well of course." She smiles. "You're hardly forgettable."

"I hope that's a compliment." Robin chuckles.

"Well of course, I wouldn't insult a friend."

###

"Wh-What is this?! An army of corpses?!" Gangrel shouts, recoiling from the sight. "Since when did Ylisse dabble in dark magic!?"

"Tch." Aversa sniffs. "It seems we have a traitor. Only grimleal know how to command Risen."

"Die die die!" Robin shouts over the battlefield, using the same hysteria Gangrel usually uses. A mad grin is on Robin's face as he stomps across the sand with four elite Risen guarding him. "Flee now, or _all_ of you will join my army!"

The squad of purple and grey corpses is a sharp contrast to the usual blue and white of the ylissian army. The Plegian army's muted brown and off-gold provides a difference in tone once again to the other groups, blending in with the desert sand and rocks and making their exact numbers harder to discern.

That being said, having an army of corpses bear down on them shatters the resolve of some segments of Gangrel's army, and he watches as entire regiments break rank and flee the monsters.

"Blast, I was planning on staying to see the slaughter, but I think I'll sit this one out." Gangrel snarls. "Come Aversa, we have planning to do."

###

"I have a plan."

Chrom broods over those words as the Shepherds scramble to assemble. The prince has come to trust Robin, but this is his sister's life on the line. Emmeryn has shown trust in Robin, more than Chrom thinks he deserves, but he dearly hopes to be proven wrong here and that Robin will pull out all the stops to keep his sister safe.

Robin is nowhere to be seen, though his army is nearby. He has to be relatively nearby to keep control of his troops though (about a dozen miles, which was confirmed by some controlled tests with weak Risen under his control) so Chrom doesn't know why the tactician hasn't checked in with them yet.

"Chrom!" Robin's familiar voice hollers, as if on cue. The man rides on the back of his dark knight guard's horse and leaps off to land in front of the prince. "Okay! I finalized the plan, and I need the Shepherds to do _exactly_ what I say."

"And what would that be?"

"Be _really_ distracting!"

Chrom gives him a flat look. "That's it?"

"My troops will do the dangerous work. Oh, and I need to borrow Lissa or Maribelle."

The prince sighs, rubbing his brow. "Take Maribelle. She should be ready by now."

"Great, thanks!" Robin chirps, giving him a thumbs up. "Just intercept those wyvern riders and look intimidating, okay?"

Chrom reluctantly nods and watches as the man runs off. He dearly hopes Emmeryn's trust isn't misplaced. Grimacing to himself, he turns to his team. "Shepherds! Be prepared for moving combat! All melee units on foot, stay with a mounted partner for safety! Ranged units and healers avoid the center of the fight, stay on the outside so the others can circle around to protect you and so you have space to retreat!"

###

Emmeryn looks down at the masses below, smiling sadly at the sight of the Shepherds circling the fort and the mob of Risen breaking into the courtyard. She can't let anyone make the choice of her life or the safety of Ylisse. With reluctance she steps towards-

"My lady!" Maribelle's voice breaks through her somber thoughts. She turns her head to see the girl on the back of a Risen pegasus just beyond the fort's boarders (the Risen rider still controlling its mount of course) with a rescue staff in her hand. A second pegasus knight flies just by her side. "My apologies in advance for the landing!"

The Exalt doesn't understand what she means until the magic coils around her body and she's transported to the back of the other pegasus knight. The landing is indeed a bit hard on her body from impacting the hard leather saddle, and she quickly holds on as the Risen rider jerks the mount around to fly off the battlefield.

"You're lucky Robin came up with such a plan Milady!" Maribelle scolds. "Phila told you not to take walks at night, especially without your guards! Honestly, you're as bad as your brother!"

The Exalt coughs, feeling a bit sheepish. "M-My apologies. I did not expect a kidnapper."

"Well of course not, I'd hope you aren't _that_ foolish." The other woman sighs. "Oh, erm, pardon my saying so Milady."

Emmeryn smiles, still embarrassed. Down below she can see the Shepherds pulling back as Robin and his Risen finish their assault on the fort and retreat, still peppering the plegian forces with arrows and fireballs as they back up into the desert.

The Exalt has a feeling she will have a _lot_ of explaining to do when she lands.

###

"Emm!" Lissa cries, tackling her sister in a hug. "Don't _do_ that!"

"And I thought Chrom was reckless…" Robin sighs with a smile. "We're in a _warzone_ Emm, think before you act!"

"Sorry everyone…" She murmurs, smiling slightly.

"Gods, don't startle us Emm." Chrom huffs, putting a hand on the blonde girl's shoulder. "You're lucky Robin came up with a plan."

"Hey, I'd like to think it's skill on my part." The tactician huffs. "It wasn't even a hard plan! Give me _some_ credit!"

"Thank you for your assistance Sir Robin." Emmeryn says, bowing low to him. Lissa giggles and Chrom rolls his eyes. It may not be obvious at first, but their sister tends to be overdramatic (especially with others around because she has an image to maintain, and a few Shepherds are indeed listening in).

Robin scoffs, smirking. It seems he's familiar with this too. "Sir? What happened to me being a friend at worst? Is your brother Sir Chrom too?"

"W-Well-" Emmeryn coughs. "Sorry."

"Come on." The tactician teases. "Is it that hard to say my name on its own? You always avoid it. Never 'hello Robin', always just 'hello'. Now it's _Sir_ Robin? Have I become a knight?"

Chrom swears he sees a light blush on his sister's face as she says "no of course not. Please accept my uttermost apologies R-Robin."

"Your uttermost apologies?" Robin chuckles. "How dramatic… and grammatically incorrect."

That's _definitely_ a blush. "I am a bit flustered at the moment."

"I can tell." Robin says with a grin, poking her in the cheek. "Mighty Emmeryn, Exalt of Ylisse, schooled by a mere plegian boy."

Phila is _fuming_ , and clearly resisting the urge to slap the boy's hand away. Chrom heavily suspects she has prior orders to allow Robin's teasing, because the Phila Chrom knows would never have hesitated to stop Robin.

The prince is dense, but he can clearly see where Robin and Emmeryn's relationship is headed… and he isn't sure how he feels about it.

"Aren't they so cute?" Lissa whispers in his ear, suppressing her giggles. "I've never seen Emm so flustered!"

Chrom sighs and nods. He'll wait to see how this plays out.

###

"I swear Emm, you come out here anymore and people are going to start thinking I have you under a curse or something." Robin chuckles, handing the Exalt a plate of roasted pheasant. "And for dinner too? You could have a better meal back at the castle you know. I'm not a master chef."

"But then I couldn't eat with you." Emmeryn murmurs, accepting the food.

"Ditching your siblings for me? That's cold." Robin jests.

"Chrom wanted a day to eat with Sumia anyways, and I think Lissa wanted to spend a night with someone by the name of Lon'qu…" The lady hums. "It was fine timing, I have little to do after dinner anyways."

"Really? I thought you'd have a lot to do! The war only ended a month ago." The tactician's eyes narrow and he smirks. "Did you offload it onto Phila? Poor girl."

Emmeryn smiles serenely. Phila may not have approved of tonight, but she insisted on taking the burden off her if the Exalt was determined to do this. "Oh no, she volunteered. I'm glad to have a clear schedule tonight thanks to her."

"You'd almost think tonight was important from hearing that!" Robin laughs.

"That's because it is." The Exalt murmurs. "I have an offer for you."

Robin raises an eyebrow. "I'm listening."

"I want for you to live in the castle-"

"Wasn't that already the plan?" They has already made arrangements for Robin's soldiers to be dismissed (meaning turned back to normal corpses, not turned loose) in a special part of the dungeons so the bodies could be preserved for future use.

"I want you to live in the castle..." Emmeryn repeats frimley, setting aside her plate to have a proper conversation. "...with me."

"With you?" Robin chuckles. "Chrom and Lissa don't count?"

"You misunderstand, I chose my words properly." The lady says, taking something out of her robes. She reaches out a closed hand as if meaning to drop something in his palm, and Robin extends his own hand in amusement. "I wish to marry you."

The tactician blinks in shock at the simple golden ring suddenly slipped over his finger. "I-I…"

Emmeryn smiles. It's refreshing to Robin flustered for once. "If you need time to think-"

"N-No, no! I accept!" He stammers. His hands snap forward to grab hers. "I-I just never expected this to happen! I thought me being some random plegian-"

"Will be irrelevant." The Exalt hums. "The council will have to accept my choice, for they have no power over the decision."

"Gods…" Robin mutters, feeling giddy. "I-I'm honored, and excited, and nervous, and… wow."

"You'll find I'm much the same." Emmeryn smiles, and leans in to rest her forehead against his. "I look forward to spending more time with you Robin."

* * *

 **Actual male Robin romance, and with Emmeryn of all people. I dunno, it just seemed to fit. Half of each chapter I write is made up on the fly, so twists like this tend to sneak in without even** _ **me**_ **expecting it.**

* * *

 **Zero kami no mu** **:** I'll keep both of those in mind. Vampire Robin is the more immediately usable of the two, but I might be able to slip Spellshooter Robin in somewhere (it may have to be combined with something else, or slightly modified).

 **ScorinVoidseeker** **:** Chrom is just a great pairing for F!Robin in general (IMO of course, but it's not hard to write romance for the two of them). Hope you enjoyed the first proper M!Robin romance.

I corrected the typo, good catch.

Emmet was introduced in the Exalted chapter and mentioned even before that in Timesnap. He's not new.

Italics are difficult, always being case by case. I don't see the incidents you're talking about in this chapter though, would you mind giving me an exact quote so I can locate what you're talking about? Thanks for the help.

Oh, and sometimes this website tends to erase formatting, so there's always a chance the website is at fault.

 **DetectiveChickenWing :** Good to see I wasn't too far off. I was working with Wikepedia and a couple YouTube videos for reference, so I wasn't sure how accurate it would be.


	16. Giantess Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **It took a good four or five rewrites to get this right. Even then I found the best way to tackle this was to ignore the gimmick for the most part.**

 **Also that's** _ **two**_ **requests for Pokemon Trainer Robin. At this rate I'll have to start up another story for multi-chapter idea just to do these more difficult requests.**

* * *

Robin was quite the girl, and Chrom didn't just mean because she was twice his size. However it couldn't be ignored that she towered over everyone else at twelve feet tall and couldn't fit into thin doorways due to her bulk.

The girl wasn't fat, it was just that her proportions were scaled up to match her height. If she _were_ normal size her body would be considered fairly average, perhaps a bit more on the shapely side.

Her size also means she couldn't have a room at the Shepherds' barracks, the roof was too low for her to move around comfortably, so she was given a guest suite at the castle.

There was more to Robin than her size of course. She's a great tactician, a skilled warrior, incredibly intelligent, and rather attractive (in Chrom's opinion at least).

Not that he ever says that out loud. He doesn't want to give the wrong impression.

"Paperwork again?" Robin's voice startles Chrom out of his thoughts. He glances around, the prince is in the barracks so Robin shouldn't be able to-

"The window Chrom."

The blue-haired boy quickly turns around, and blinks a bit at how close her face actually is. The window is only a foot and a half away from the back of his chair, and Chrom had left it open to get fresh air. The tactician's large brown eyes sparkle as they meet his, and her large lips turn up in an enchanting smile.

" _Focus, you're not a teenager anymore Chrom_." The prince berates himself silently. "Sorry, I didn't expect that."

"Well obviously." She hums. "Do you need help? You've been doing paperwork all day."

"No, no, I'm almost done." He coughs. "I haven't forgotten my promise to spar with you."

"Alright…"

Twenty minutes later, Chrom is out on the sparring grounds. He knows this isn't really a fair fight, if Robin was allowed to use her full strength she would beat him without effort, and needing to hold back to such an extent means she tends to lose against Chrom due to the slight change in her fighting style.

Despite having confidence that he'll win Chrom still feels intimidated staring up at Robin. Her hip-length white hair is tied back and her normally soft features are hardened in concentration.

"Whenever you're ready." She says, pointing her large wooden sword at him.

"On go." Chrom says, gripping his own practice blade tightly. "Ready… go!"

Despite what might be expected of something her size, Robin is not slow. Chrom knows the only real way to beat her is to get in close where she has trouble swinging. He charges in, sword swinging towards her leg.

What follows is what could most closely be related to a lion closely chasing a hunter. The instant Robin puts enough distance between them Chrom loses because she'll finally have a good distance to swing at him, but if Chrom manages to get close enough Robin won't be able to block and Chrom can sneak in a stab. In many ways it's a dance, but far less elegant than the demonstrations put on by actual swordmasters.

They do this for two minutes, each carefully striking, parrying, and dodging. Chrom thinks he finds an opening; a moment where Robin's sword lingers down too long blocking his last strike, and the prince leaps on the opportunity. He jumps in the air, both hands on his sword's hilt to swing it overhead to punish her low block-

-and suddenly Robin's sword comes up from below. Chrom slams into the blade, being hit diagonally from his hip to shoulder as the girl quickly draws it upward. The prince's blade hits her stomach as well, but it's a weak strike that comes too late. Robin has obtained her first victory.

Chrom lands hard on his back in the sand, breathing hard from the physical and mental exertion of the duel. The sun is blocked out as Robin stands over him, grinning victoriously.

"Finally figured out how to beat that." She laughs breathlessly, and offers him a hand. The prince accepts, and blinks in surprise at Robin's strength as she pulls him up. It's not that he didn't know she was strong, it's just that she never used it on him. "You always beat me with that jump attack, I've been practicing in my free time to find a counter."

"And you succeeded." Chrom sighs, brushing himself off. "Good job."

"Thanks. I actually have a few easier ways to beat that move, but all the others involved hitting you in the privates." Robin says bluntly. "I could have brought my weapon straight up rather than tilting it back and swinging diagonally, but that would be poor sportsmanship."

Chrom tries to ignore his sudden feeling of vulnerability, and fights to _not_ squeeze his legs shut. "W-Well thank you for your consideration."

"Yo you two!" Sully's voice suddenly cuts in to the conversation as she and Stahl walk out from the barracks. "Who won this time?"

"I did!" Robin says quickly, spinning to face the two.

"Well damn! Chrom finally lost to someone other than Freddy." Sully laughs. "Good job Rob!"

The prince rolls his eyes as the two cavaliers congratulate the tactician. Chrom has a feeling he's going to get a lot of ribbing for this over the next few weeks.

###

"Ha ha!" Flavia laughs, slapping the prince on his back _again_. The prince grimaces and bears the stinging pain. "Come on, you'd net me an easy victory in the arena!"

Chrom knows the Feroxi are warriors, but their rough treatment is grating on his nerves both emotionally and physically. The bull-headed border captain already put him in a foul mood, and Flavia's near callousness isn't helping his opinion of the feroxi people.

It's also telling that she didn't instruct him to go visit Basilio and instead tries to get him to fight for her. The tournament is still a month and a half away, and that's plenty of time for negotiations to be had and concluded. She's stalling a deal to stop Plegia (and save lives) just to get a better shot at the khanship.

Chrom grits his teeth when he sees the woman draw back her hand for another slap. "So, what do you sa-"

Someone behind Chrom moves and Flavia stops speaking. The prince turns his head and sees that Robin has reached out to grab the feroxi's arm, stopping the strike.

"I'll thank you kindly to _not_ batter Chrom again." Robin says curtly, gripping Flavia's arm tightly. "Your actions are not befitting a ruler, even ignoring your assault."

"Robin…" Chrom hisses in warning. The prince doesn't want this to go poorly, despite his dislike of Flavia..

"Chrom." The girl says evenly. "I suggest we go find the west-khan and negotiate with him. It's not good practice to associate with those who value personal power over the defence of their realm."

Flavia suddenly goes from jovial to serious. Her eyes sharpen in irritation. "Those are fighting words. Careful who you insult girl."

"Why should I care for _your_ status?" Robin scoffs, allowing the khan to yank her arm away. "You said yourself that you prefer plain speech, yes? My thoughts were put rather obviously, but would you prefer I resort to insults?"

Flavia's face turns to a full snarl, and one hand rests on her sword. "Girl…"

"What? You want to fight?" Robin asks, a condescending smirk on her face. She doesn't even bother reaching for her claymore, instead slipping on her metal gauntlets. "Try me."

Chrom sighs. These negotiations are done for. He regrets asking Frederick to wait outside the main hall. "Robin, let's just leave. We should get on our way to the west-khan."

"Of course Chrom." The giant girl gives a mocking bow to Flavia, turns on her heel, and follows the prince out the door.

"Milord! Did-" Frederick begins.

"Tell everyone to pack up. We move to the west feroxi palace." Chrom interrupts, scowling. "Flavia isn't the sort of person we want to be dealing with."

"Of course Milord."

###

"I'm fine Robin, a few slaps on the back won't kill me." The prince sighs. He's making small talk to avoid dwelling on his embarrassment. He shouldn't have let the situation get out of hand, and in the end Robin basically ended up _protecting_ him. As the captain of the Shepherds, Chrom thinks, it's supposed to be the other way around.

"Still…" Robin huffs. Her fingers are much more delicate on his back as she rubs ointment on the bruises. Despite her size Robin is gentle enough to avoid irritating his raw skin too much. "That was too rough of her."

"I'm not delicate."

"Of course not, but that doesn't mean a slap suddenly doesn't hurt." Robin scoffs. "Besides, you sound like your sister."

Chrom sighs again. He just can't win around Robin lately, first she beats him in sparring and admits that she avoided an easier attack so as to not injure him, next she protects him and gives him a way out of bad negotiations, and now she can see right through his facade and is the one to treat his (admittedly light) injuries.

Chrom feels like he's been making a fool of himself in front of her these last few weeks. It's not that he's particularly worried about her opinion of him….

That's a lie, Chrom realizes, he _does_ care about her opinion. " _Gods, when did I develop feelings for someone so out of my league…?_ "

###

"Teach don't usually swear but... you're _fucking stupid_ Chrom." The muscled man says bluntly. "How ain't you seen Robin hanging around you all the time? She's not sut… sub… she's obvious!"

" _Why is Vaike only smart when he's drunk?_ " The prince sighs. The blond-haired man has had much more to drink than the blue-haired boy, and it's showing in how loud he's being.

Chrom is just glad Robin herself isn't around and that Lissa isn't here to mock him mercilessly. Frederick is here though, and he's staring very obviously at the prince. Chrom suspects the knight is slightly offended at not being the first told.

"Look." Vaike grunts, slamming down the drink. "You need to stop avoiding it yeah? Stop this weird infer… infir… stop feelin' _less_ , an' start doing _more_. Ya don't even gotta say anythin' up front. I didn't, an' Miriel's denser than a bunch o' rocks sometimes!"

"But-"

"C'mon Chrom, Robin already makes 'scuses to spar with ya and whatnot, just start doin' somethin' in return!" Vaike barks.

The prince's shoulders sag. He hates it when the man has a point. "You're right. Thanks Teach."

###

The meetings with Basilio come and go. The burly man is a lot less _rough_ than Flavia, despite his appearance being more fitting for such a personality. He's boisterous, loud, but empathetic, and has an understated intelligence. The prince and the khan quickly come to an agreement for a defensive pact.

Partially out of spite, and partially just to rub it in that they like Basilio more, the Shepherds help Basilio in the tournament as a 'gesture of good faith'.

Flavia's fuming expression when she loses is glorious.

At the celebratory banquet Chrom tries to find Robin to start acting on Vaike's advice. Instead he gets dragged into a few round of drinks with Sully, and then Basilio, and even Virion wants to share a quick glass of feroxi whisky. By the time Chrom finds Robin he's drunk, but dives into conversation with her nonetheless, determined to enjoy her company.

At some point while talking to the girl he falls asleep, the world fads in a haze of booze, laughter, and lights.

###

For once it's not the light or the noise that wakes Chrom up. He comes to consciousness naturally… and immediately regrets it. The boy's head pounds and he tries to pull his pillow over his ears.

He _tries_ , but the pillow gently pushes his hand down and starts gently massaging his forehead.

At this point Chrom realizes Robin isn't a pillow and tries to roll away. Pain lances through his head though, and the prince lets the tactician roll his head back into her lap.

"Don't worry Chrom." The girl whispers as quietly as she can. "We're leaving after lunch, at least half of us are hungover."

"You don't sound…" Chrom finally pushes his eyes open, squinting against the faint light that shine through the curtains. "You don't _sound_ drunk."

"Yeah, because I had _two_ drinks compared to your ten." She murmurs, amused. "We're in a guest room by the way, I carried you here."

"And you stayed…?"

"Oh no, I slept in my own room. I decided to bring you breakfast this morning and you were still asleep." Robin chuckles, pointing to a covered plate of food and a glass of water on a side-table.

Chrom, again, forces himself to sit up. The pain in his head isn't any less, but maybe some food and drink will help that. He tightly grips the glass of water, downing the lukewarm water, and takes the cover off the plate.

Sausage, bread, a bit of cheese, and some vegetables. Nothing spectacular, but a solid meal. The prince eats, still squinting at the pain in his head. He knows from experience that the meal won't start to help for half an hour or so, but that's better than nothing.

"Gods, I shouldn't have let Sully drag me into a drink... or Basilio, or Virion." Chrom grumbles, stabbing the sausage.

Robin chuckles. "You really should have known better."

The tactician waits patiently as the prince eats his breakfast. He finishes quickly, pushing aside the plate. His headache still isn't gone, it probably won't be for an hour or so, but it has improved slightly.

"So Chrom…" Robin says, planting her hands on his shoulders. The prince tenses a bit, nervous at the touch. The tactician has been very hands-on this morning for some reason. The girl mentioned that she came in with his breakfast, but the prince woke up with his head on her lap so she must have put him there. "How much of last night do you remember?"

Chrom thinks hard. "I had drinks with a few people… I think with you, right? Did I say anything strange?"

"Not really. We had this whole conversation about my memory though. You're surprisingly eloquent even when drunk."

"What _about_ your memory?"

"Mostly me not remembering my parents, friends, and me generally being a bit attention-starved." Robin chuckles. "Well, you fixated on me not knowing if I ever got a hug in my life. I'd appreciate if you take your armor off next time though, it's uncomfortable."

Chrom blushes. "Uhh, well..."

"I suppose I brought that on myself though." She hums. " _I'm_ the one who said I wanted a hug… or just affection in general."

"You do?" The prince asks, frowning.

"Like I just said, I don't remember having parents or friends, so I don't remember ever getting love from my mom or dad and whatnot. My memory is a blank, there's so much I feel like I'm missing." Robin murmurs.

"We'll just have to fix that then." Chrom says firmly. "If you ever feel you're lacking something, just tell me."

"Of course Chrom." She hums, rubbing small circles into his shoulder blades. "I appreciate your help as always."

"As always? You give me too much credit."

"Are we pretending you _didn't_ take me in and gave me a place to stay?" Robin chuckles.

"We no…"

"Then I'm giving you too _little_ credit."

###

Chrom starts to spend more time around Robin. He uses the excuse of 'giving her more experiences to make up for her lost memory' but that's more to hide his own nervousness than out of any need to disguise his intentions.

Or in other words: Chrom is shy.

Robin starts to pair them up on the field; where formerly Chrom was often assigned with Vaike and Miriel now he's placed with Robin alone to make another one of the girl's battle pairs. For some reason the tactician seems to have decided that small two-man teams are best for small skirmishes.

Whereas Chrom used to lead the charge with Vaike, now he often finds himself _following_ Robin into combat; not just because the girl can move faster than him or because her cloak actually has thin metal plates in it that makes her a better frontliner, but because she knows exactly what they need to do and at what moment.

Chrom is no longer the one making decisions, he suddenly isn't the one who knows best on the battlefield. He always followed Robin's plans before but he could do it however he wanted. Now he can't (or at least shouldn't) because he knows Robin is smarter than him.

It's not a bad thing, but it certainly takes time for the prince to get used to follow sometimes rather than lead. On the opposite end, it also takes time for him to learn to be forward and initiate conversation _outside_ of combat.

In the end though, it's still Robin who proposes to Chrom. All of the the royal rings (reserved for marriages by the royal family) are too small, and a new one has to be made to fit Robin. The smaller hallways in the castle also have to be resized, and most of the furniture in Chrom's room has to be replaced with larger versions.

Despite all that though, Robin's size is hardly an obstacle beyond the initial accommodations. The biggest problem it causes is her weight stopping Chrom from getting out of bed in the morning if she snuggles up to him in her sleep, and that's hardly a problem worth worrying about.

* * *

 **We'll end here, there isn't much more of substance I can think to write. Giant(ess) Robin ended being a lot harder to make a story out of than I thought. I think the idea has potential but I missed some crucial part to making a good story out of it.**

* * *

 **Rotciv557** **:** Nercromancer was another instance of me loving the idea, but having no good way of using it (while still keeping the core of Awakening anyways, I had this whole idea of Robin controlling an area of swamp called 'the Death Growth' on the border and a few other ideas, but they all made Robin into a villain or anti-hero so they were scrapped.)

 **The Restless Drifter** **:** That could work. I'll note it down, but it's not really a quirk or ability so if I use it expect the idea to be tied into something else.

 **Kamencolin** **:** I know very well what you mean, sorry if I worded it poorly. You wanted me to add pokemon into the Fire Emblem world not as some weird outrealm thing but as if they'd always been there. I _love_ the idea, but it's too much for just one measly chapter to cover.

 **Bonefish** **:** Grimleal Robin was already suggested by Rotciv557, but seeing as you have interest in it too I'll bump it up the line.

 **IsThisWorking** **:** Actually, I already had that idea on my radar. Not sure when I'll use it, there are a few others I want to touch on first, but it'll come around eventually.

Your memes are lost on me unfortueately.

 **uf** **:** No worries, I can delete guest reviews to eliminate duplicates. Also deleted the apology to keep the comments relevant to this story.

Martial Artist is a curious one, it won't carry a story on it's own being a purely combat-oriented power. See the treatment Supermagic Robin's ability got for reference. Size changing was something I considered for this chapter, but it just made Robin's large size even _less_ relevant. It's not like I don't enjoy the idea, but in a one-shot focused collection like this that sort of ability is too minor to carry a story.

Replicate Robin is actually coming up soon, though probably not in the same form as Fates. I'd already thought of that and wanted to do it for a while. Expect it as the next F!Robin chapter (so chapter eighteen).

Merely Shepherds won't continue in it's same form. Maybe the name will be kept, but if I ever intend to make a full Fire Emblem story I _won't_ be continuing that one. It ended up being a stepping stone to this story, and a few aspects like Robin having a gimmick and Emmet being quartermaster carried over.

All good stories have a few wrecks beforehand. My other main story, Five Stars (Teen Titans) had two or three failed starts and numerous one-shots dabbling with the characters before I found something that worked. Merely Shepherds is a similar wreck.

 **Guest** **:** Might do that, but unlikely. I do agree however that Chrom would probably love Robin regardless of who they are. If I do end up writing a gay or bi Robin I'm expecting Virion to be the partner.

You never know, these stories are made up as I write them so maybe Chrom and M!Robin will be a thing in one chapter, but it's sorta up to chance where the story leads me and what I can write well.


	17. Ghost Robin

**Disclaimer: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

* * *

The moon rises high over the camp, bathing the world is faint light. Gaius and Panne stalk the perimeter, ears alert for signs of movement.

Chrom is in the strategy tent, it's another late night for him. Virion retired to his bed long ago, saying there wasn't much they could do exhausted, but the blue-haired boy stayed. He _has_ to find something… and he's waiting for help.

The chill in the air tells Chrom his help has arrived. As per usual, he turns around to face them.

"Prince…" The ghost whispers. It's pale ethereal form is almost invisible, but Chrom can just make out their figure and deduced long ago that they have a coat on, but he's never been able to quite see their face. Their entire body is a faint purple. "Problems…?

"My sister's been captured. She's scheduled for execution in two days." The prince says, gesturing to a pinned point on the map in front of him. The ghost doesn't move, but Chrom isn't put off. This is normal. "This fort is the target. It's built into some large bones, so we'll have to come at it more or less straight on."

"Pegasus…"

"Well yes, but we're also expecting them to bring in a wyvern brigade."

"Archers… wind… cut off…" The ghost murmurs. "Hide… strike… rescue…"

"But if we wait to long, Gangrel will execute her!"

"No…" It's form flickers. "Show… audience… _you_..."

Chrom growls, annoyed, but he knows the ghost is right. "So we wait, ambush the reinforcements, _then_ take the fort?"

"Yes…" It murmurs. "Caution… tricks… surprise…"

"You think they have a backup plan?" The prince asks.

"Always..." The ghost says softly. "King… foolish… grimleal…"

Chrom nods as he turns back to the didn't strike him as very smart, it would make sense is someone else is the brains. Maybe that dark flier, Aversa. "Alright. We'll be on guard."

"Rescue… don't ride…" The voice murmurs in his ear. "Flank… regroup… warp…"

The prince grabs an ink pen, quickly writing that down. Ambush the wyvern brigade, flank with pegasus knights, regroup, use a rescue staff. Pegasus knights can be shot down, stopping magic is harder.

"Good…" The ghost whispers, it's voice fading off. "Prince… Sleep..."

When Chrom looks back over his shoulder after he finishes writing down his notes, the ghost is gone.

###

"Miriel, signal the pegasus knights!" Chrom roars. Falchion slashes through the last of the riders, the wyvern brigade lies butchered in the sand. "The brigade has fallen! Shepherds, prepare to flank!"

Frederick thunders up next to the prince, and the blue-haired boy leaps on to the back of the horse. The two of them thunder off to the fort, catching up with the ranged units that were positioned further back. The dark mage they recruited, Tharja, launches out tendrils of black magic at a fellow Plegian soldier, sapping his life. She gives a curt nod as the prince shouts instructions and falls in beside Miriel and Ricken.

Kellam, Frederick, and Chrom spearhead the attack on the fort. They push through enemy soldiers and dark mages while the Shepherds' backline rains fire and arrows on the fight.

The pegasus knights, headed by Phila, soar over the bones and barrel down on the fight. Javelins and steel lances smash through the lightly armored Plegians, killing them with elegant, precise strikes.

From far above on a single bone arch, Emmeryn watches the chaos below. She's both relieved and horrified at seeing her brother's brutal efficiency in combat. Even the enemy general in his heavy armor is no match for Chrom, who finds a chink in the armor and kills the man with his rapier.

"Lissa! Rescue staff!" Chrom calls as soon as the last soldier falls. He can see Gangrel cursing from up on a balcony and Aversa whispering in his ear. "Shepherds, guard for ambush! Defensive circle!"

The Shepherds form up, putting their armored members on the outside. Lissa raises her staff, which glows a fierce green. An aura of green wraps around Emmeryn and in a few seconds she's standing in the middle of the Shepherds' formation, safe and sound.

The ground around them starts to shift, and the dead hands of Risen start reaching out, pulling their bodies from the sand and stone. The Shepherds don't break though, and they beat back the sudden wave of undead horrors.

"No, no, no!" Gangrel snarls. "You said you had a plan Aversa! A plan! A bunch of measly corpses is not a plan!"

Chrom and his squad quickly pull out of the fort, leaving Gangrel to shout at his assistant. They could try to attack him, but they don't want to waste time. They're massively over-extended as is; the main bulk of the Ylissian-Feroxi can't get to them anytime soon if they run into trouble.

###

Chrom doesn't like hiding what's actually going on. He gets credit for plans that aren't his own, and the prince has always preferred honesty. The problem is that he doesn't expect telling people he gets plans from a _ghost_ is going to go over well.

The ghost always appears for Chrom alone, which is problematic in convincing other people of the ghost's existence.

Well Chrom _presumes_ it would be problematic, he's never tried. It's not exactly a conversation the prince wants to attempt without solid evidence.

The boy is mulling this over in his own tent, having finished his tactics session with Virion a good hour ago. He extinguishes the candle next to him, settling down for the night-

"Prince…"

"Gah!" Chrom yelps, sitting upright. The ghost is hovering near the door. "Gods, don't do-"

"Wake…" The ghost says in a tone of warning. "Assault…"

"Assault?" The prince asks, blinking in confusion. "What-"

"Under… attack…"

"Fuck." Chrom swears, scrambling up out of his bed. He grabs for his armor and Falchion, which he'd just finished taking off, and quickly pieces his armor together. As he's doing this he starts hearing the shouts of the sentries and the sounds of shouting.

The prince steps through the ghost, mind already focusing on the battle. He runs tent to tent, alerting everyone he can. Frederick soon finds Chrom, with Lissa already riding on the back of his horse. As they gather the other waking Shepherds a group of assassins and mages slip into view. Their bows and tomes come up, and a barrage of dark magic and arrows fly to them. Frederick moves to block, bringing his armored horse and shield into the path. The arrows are harmless, but dark magic is not kind to the brunette and his blue armor darkens (not burned, just… _shaded_ ) from the impact.

One arrow slips past the knight's guard, almost hitting Chrom in the shoulder. It doesn't even hit his armor though as a faint film of purple energy delects the shot.

The prince doesn't have time to consider what that means as more foes start appearing. He brings up Falchion and charges alongside Frederick; sword and lance are more than a match for the thin leather and cloth their enemies wear and the night quickly devolves into chases around the camp as all foes are weeded out and either killed or chased off.

Chrom doesn't bother to acknowledge Emmeryn's remark about him glowing as he heads back to his tent and collapses into his bed.

###

The prince wakes up very late the next day. Even the others who fought last night have been up for a few hours, and Chrom is lucky to snag breakfast leftovers. His memory is a bit fuzzy, but he remembers how the ghost appeared in his room to warn him. This is the first time they've done something like that, and the blue-haired boy wonders how the ghost knew about the attack.

The war drags on. The Shepherds rejoin the main army and start serving as a specialist group primarily responsible for clearing out forts (where the Shepherds' small unit size and fighting style variety isn't as much a hinderance).

Chrom starts noticing strange things about himself in battle. He starts to be more aware of the battlefield around him: noting particularly difficult enemies, problematic weapons like beast killers, and seeing opportunities to flank.

Virion says he's starting to become a proper tactician, but the prince doesn't think that's right. It doesn't feel like _he's_ noticing things. It's like something is invisibly drawing his attention to certain details.

The boy also notices how he's started to deflect hits. Sometimes it's an arrow, or a stray blow from an opponent, but it bounce off _something_ just before hitting Chrom. He never has time to look at what though (because he's in battle, obviously).

The ghost continues to appear, still whispering advice and strategy to the prince. One night Chrom makes the decision to try and talk to the ghost about something other than tactics. As they finish up the night's tactics, Chrom tries to redirect conversation.

"Open… danger… overwhelm..."

"I understand." The prince nods. "I'll warn the Shepherds to be wary of the opening."

"Fight… small… space…" The ghost murmurs. "Numbers… irrelevant…"

"I know, I remember your advice from before." Chrom chuckles. "By the way, I have a question."

The ghost says nothing, floating silently. The prince takes that as a signal to continue.

"What's your name?" He asks. "I'm tired of calling you 'the ghost', surely you must have a name."

A long, quiet pause. The ghost doesn't move and Chrom focuses on its face, trying to make out features. Unfortunately he couldn't make out anything concrete, just a vague nose and an undetailed mouth.

"Robin…"

"Well nice to properly meet you then Robin." Chrom says firmly. He was glad to finally get some information out of Robin, no matter how small. It would also act as a measure of proof if he ever tried to convince someone else of Robin's existence.

The ghost doesn't comment and slowly fades from view. Apparently their conversation is over.

###

"Your end has come!" Chrom snaps. He swings Falchion overhead and crushes the skull of the dark mage in front of him.

Chrom is in trouble. He shouldn't be alone, but he got separated from Frederick. The prince rushed to kill a sorcerer and got cut off. Now he needs to puzzle his way back through these hallways.

His abnormal powers seem to be out in full force as well. The strange deflections seem to be happening frequently, and the prince noticing more and more about the situation as he moves. His attention is being pulled to small things like tiny imperfections in an opponent's movement or deep shadows in the walls.

The deflections are sparking very visible purple energy, and even when he's not being hit the prince can see a faint outline of something over his body.

Chrom also doesn't know why he feels the urge to try and shoot a chandelier when he sees one positioned over a few soldiers' heads. He doesn't even have a bow.

"Milord!" Frederick calls, smashing through a wall of fighters. "Are you unharmed?"

"I'm fine Frederick." Chrom says, absently noting the slight echo in his voice.

"As you say Milord. May I enquire as to your new clothes?"

"What?" The prince glances down at himself, and blinks in surprise at translucent purple coat overtop his armor. "I have no idea…"

"We shall worry on it later then." The knight grunts. He pulls a javelin from his back and throws it. The long wooden pole impales a dark mage that had been sneaking up on them. "The Shepherds need you back Milord."

"Of course, lead the way."

###

"Here's how it's done!" Chrom shouts, bisecting an unfortunate archer. Falchion flickers with an odd mix of purple and blue light as the prince fights, and the familiar semi-solid coat has manifested already.

The prince looks around himself, noting the position of his frontline and the mages further back. Lissa is a bit further up, with Lon'qu-

Lon'qu is holding back those axemen, Lissa is undefended. Chrom sees that wyvern rider, she has no time.

The prince dashes forwards, his body pumping with adrenaline. He won't make it in time, there has to be _something_! Something in the back of his mind whispers, and Chrom is desperate enough to try. Giving in to the impulse to shoot that has become so common by this point, the prince frantically raises an arm and shouts the first spell that comes to mind: "thoron!"

A lance of lighting flies from his fingertips and slams into the wyvern, knocking it out of the sky. The rider falls from the saddle, already dead, and the wyvern jumps back into the air and awkwardly flies off, one half of its body heavily wounded and leaking blood.

"Since when can you use magic Chrom!?" Lissa shouts, waving her staff at Lon'qu.

"Since now apparently! A thank you would be nice!" He calls back. "Thoron!"

The spell works again, demolishing an unfortunate cavalier.

"This is so cool…"

"Focus, both of you!" Lon'qu snaps, sparing both of them a withering glare. "Talk later, fight now!"

"R-Right!" Lissa squeaks. Chrom silently nods and shakes off his wonder. If he has lightning now might as well use it efficiently. No sense wasting it on every little soldier.

###

"Chrom, I'm worried." Emmeryn murmurs, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "I know your new powers are useful, but… you don't always seem yourself when using them."

Chrom can't deny that. Even he has noticed his switch from emotional to calculated when battle comes around and the slight echo in his voice. It's almost like his body isn't entirely his own anymore, and he has a good idea why that's so.

Robin. The ghost is purple and has a keen strategic mind, two of the things in common with Chrom's powers. Besides, what other realistic explanation is there for this?

"I agree." The prince nods. "I've noticed as well."

"And you aren't concerned?"

"Well Robin has always been helpful so far, and I think he's the one giving me these powers, so I argue we give him the benefit of the doubt." Chrom says firmly.

"Robin?" Emmeryn blinks.

The prince assumes now is as good a time as any to explain. "Yes. My sudden gift for tactics isn't really… me. I have help from Robin."

"And who is he?"

"A ghost."

The exalt gives him a long, careful look. "A ghost?"

"Yes." Chrom says flatly. "You should know I never had a gift for tactics before the war…"

"I see. Can I meet Robin?"

"Maybe…? I've never tried introducing anyone. They would think I was crazy." Chrom sighs.

"Of course…"

###

"Robin? Are you here?" Chrom coughs, desperately hoping this is going to work. "There's someone who wants to meet you."

Silence reigns in the tent as the prince prays the ghost will appear when asked. It's late in the evening, and he doesn't want to waste Emmeryn's time.

"Prince…" Just as called, Robin appears on the other side of the table. Rather than floating as he usually does the ghost is sitting in a chair. "Exalt…"

Emmeryn is stunned, not truly expecting to see a ghost. "H-Hello. Robin, was it?"

"Yes…"

"It is an honor to meet you." The blonde-haired woman murmurs. "I am Emmeryn. It has come to my attention that you have been assisting my brother since of the war, and I wish to ask if you are responsible for his new abilities."

"Yes…" Robin says again. His body is still hard to properly make out, but Chrom thinks the figure raises an arm to him. "Host…"

"Host? I'm your host?" Chrom asks hastily. "Wait, what does that mean?!"

"Grant… power… share… thoughts…" The ghost murmurs. "Share… mind... "

"How much of my thoughts?"

"All…"

"Prove it."

"Courting... Sumia… plans… propose…" Robin hums. "Have… ring… bottom… drawer…"

"I-I u-uh-" Chrom stammers, totally caught off guard. "That's- uh- okay, I s-suppose you _do_ know a-all my thoughts."

"Chrom?"

"Not now Emm…"

"I disagree." The exalt smiles serenely. "Why did you never tell me you found love?"

Chrom shoots Robin a withering glare, and the ghost waves back cheekily. "You're lucky I can't touch you."

###

Chrom isn't sure what he was expecting from Robin when the war ended, but the ghost sticks around. He starts to apparate more sporadically (his skills not really being needed) but always appears upon request.

The ghost starts to experiment with other hosts (Emmeryn volunteers). It takes a while to adapt to any given host, so a transfer is always followed by a week of silence. Robin always comes back to Chrom though.

Even baby Lucina is a perfectly acceptable host. The girl shows no signs of realizing there is a ghost hanging around in her head while he is adapting, but happily gurgles at Robin when he appears next. Robin describes her mind as "simple but entertaining".

In fact Lucina seems to be Robin's backup host. If Chrom or Sumia ever want privacy, Robin simply jumps to the child and spends the day entertaining the girl with his intangible form. The ghost also admits that if something were to happen to the prince, he would eventually take up residence in the baby girl to protect what remained of his legacy.

While Chrom prays such a future never comes to pass, he is silently thankful knowing Lucina will have yet another person looking out for her. Robin was a massive help to the prince, and he knows the ghost would try his best to guide his daughter as she grew.

Hopefully Robin would _never_ be guiding his daughter though. Chrom didn't want to imagine a world where both he and Sumia weren't around to raise Lucina. What sort of horrible catastrophe would have to befall the world for that to happen?

Chrom would prefer never to find out.

* * *

 **So, Fire Emblem Three Houses…**

 **In short, I came away more worried than excited. The trailer makes it look like an older style game, which is both good and bad. Good because it might mean we get a good story, bad because it might mean the characters become more subdued and the support conversations might change.**

 **See, the old style of support conversations were sorta… underwhelming. You were** _ **very**_ **limited in who you could talk to, and sometimes the talks had to happen on the battlefield (which is a massive hassle). The characters were less over-the-top, which is what makes Awakening and Fates' characters so fun in the first place. Characters are** _ **the**_ **main strength of the new games, and I'd hate to see that strength get thrown out the window with Nintendo trying to go for an older tone.**

 **Really I don't care about the gameplay as much as fun characters and good support conversations. There was** _ **nothing**_ **on that in this trailer, and it looks old-style (Path of Radience/Echoes mostly) so I'm worried. That said, the story strength of older games is sorely needed. Hoping, but not expecting, a perfect fusion here.**

* * *

 **ScorinVoidSeeker :** Well I wasn't exactly going for funny, so I'm fine with that.

Grima Robin is the high bar? I guess I can see that in terms of story, but for romance I consider Grima Robin one of the _weakest_ I've written. I'd consider Succubus or Hairweaver Robin better for romance, but that's just my personal opinion.

Giant Marth would drastically change the story unfortueately, I found it easier to keep her out.

You'll see both of those soon enough I think.

Gonna rename Shapeshifter Robin to Mimic Robin, but I like the idea. Conqueror Robin is also an interesting one. Both noted. Also, I don't know many pop culture or anime references, so I'm probably not getting any examples you give.

I have a few ideas for Pokemon. Need to chew on it for a bit though, it's a big project. It's not a priority right now though, so let's table that discussion.

As I've said before, as long as you give me a shout-out at least once you have permission.

 **The Restless Drifter :** I have a head cannon as to how I'd handle rare meta-human species in a universe like this. Their children have a high chance of being full-blooded members of the meta-human species rather than half-breeds. That way you can justify the species not dying off. That's basically how I assume succubi work too.

So Druid Robin and Inventor/Steampunk Robin. Alright…

 **Kamencolin : **Already on my radar, but you are the first to suggest it. Now that I know someone wants it I'll bump it up the list.

 **IsThisWorking :** Ah, I've never played that game, many games actually, so references are usually lost on me.


	18. Replicate Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **Alternative title: Chrom Convinces Himself (Again) That He's Shallow and Awful.**

 **Based on uf's request for Replicate Robin. Pardon in advance, because this chapter barely ended up focusing on the power at all.**

* * *

"I've got you this time for sure."

"That's what you say every time Chrom."

"And I'm _almost_ right every time!" The blue-haired boy protests. "I'm always just a turn away from getting your commander!"

The white-haired girl doesn't have the heart to tell him that he's nowhere close. Next turn at least four of her units can assault his front line in a devastating pincer move. Her commander is just bait, and in far less danger than it appears. "Whatever you say Chrom, finish your move."

The prince moves his archers and mages up close to his front force, clearly intending an all-out attack next turn.

It's a shame more than half his force will be dead next turn. When the prince confidently announces his turn is over, Robin cracks her knuckles and gets to work.

"Pegasus knights get extra movment because of wind…"

"Well-"

"Archers get extra range because of high ground…"

"But-"

"Dark mages ignore sand movement penalty…

"Wait-"

"Cavaliers get bonus damage due to charge distance of at least fifty feet..."

Chrom stares at the board as Robin casually plucks his entire frontline of mercenaries and fighters off the field. His entire main force was decimated in a single turn. "I hate you."

"You say that every time too." She chuckles, patting the boy on the back.

###

For reasons unknown Robin can clone herself. She has an upper limit of three clones at a time (so four of her total). Each clone can think for itself to an extent, but they're more like extra limbs than other versions of Robin, she apparently controls them psychically. It's beyond Chrom how Robin can split her focus among all four so well.

There are many uses for clones, combat being the most obvious. The clones feel pain when they are injured (which in turn means Robin feels pain) but there's not actual damage to the original. Still, Robin would prefer _not_ to deal with the hassle of making new clones (it's a quick process, but totally wipes her out for a few days) so she doesn't risk them unnecessarily.

Combat isn't their only use though. Robin often assigns her clones to do inventory and other menial chores while she handles paperwork. Due to that, she can complete all her duties in a quarter the time of everyone else.

And then she comes to bother Chrom.

"I can do it myself Robin." The prince grumbles. The girl is resting her head on his shoulder while her arms wrap around his chest. It's horribly distracting.

"I didn't say anything." She hums, her breath tickling his neck.

Chrom scowls and tries to focus. He needs to _not_ think about how he has a beautiful girl whispering in his ear, and how her well-endowed chest is pressed against his back, and how he's still sweaty from training and really wishes he had bathed now…

It doesn't get any better when one of Robin's clones joins them. It walks around to the other side of the desk and bends low to watch what Chrom is doing, giving him a view down her shirt.

If the prince didn't know better he'd swear it was intentional, but Robin has always pushed away suitors of any sort so it's probably just Chrom's impure mind. Still, it means Chrom now has to keep his vision locked to the desk and can no longer look out the window.

Ten minutes later Chrom has barely made progress. Robin hasn't moved, but the prince is hyper-aware of her presence and just can't take his mind off her. He can't relax enough to get into a good workflow due to being nervous about the girl on his shoulder.

"Don't you have something to do?" Chrom asks nervously.

"Nope, my work's done." She murmurs. The prince isn't looking, but he'd bet the tactician is grinning. "Just watching my best friend. Problem?"

Chrom shifts nervously. "You're a bit distracting…"

"You don't like hugs?" Robin teases.

"Not while I'm working." Chrom coughs.

"Fine…" The tactician huffs, releasing him. The prince doesn't want to admit he misses her touch already. "I'll just sit here. Good thing I brought a book."

With Robin no longer distracting him (though her clone continues to watch) Chrom finally makes some headway. It still takes a long time though, nearly two hours. During that time Robin's other clones enter the room and stand around his desk, watching silently.

It's sorta eerie to have three Robin look-alikes staring at his work. Chrom is constantly worried the girl is going to point out something he's doing wrong. He does appreciate one of the clones fetching a drink though.

When he's finally done working after two whole hours, Chrom strands up. His back aches a bit from leaning over the entire time. Robin quickly stands up from her chair, and the clones shift around the desk.

Suddenly Chrom is pulled into a tight four way hug as the girls press in around him. "What- why-?!"

"You said not while you were working, so I waited." Robin says cheekily. "You can't escape it! Now let's go do something fun, we've been sitting here for too long."

###

"He doesn't even know anything about her." The lady scoffs, fanning herself. "That boy of mine will go after any girl that flashes him a smile..."

Chrom tries not to roll his eyes at the gossip as he waits for the break to finish. He wouldn't even be at this meeting if Emmeryn hadn't requested it, the prince would much prefer to be back at the barracks having lunch with Robin.

"Hmm, such a shame…" Another woman murmurs. "Have you heard the Exalt turned away _another_ suitor? He was such a handsome man as well."

Chrom scowls at hearing that. Sir Devon was indeed handsome, but he was also shallow as a pond and only seemed interested in his sister's power and looks.

"It looked so promising as well. They went for lunch, and apparently played chess." The woman sighs. "I swear the Exalt will never marry at this rate."

" _If all her suitors are as terrible as Sir Devon, of course she'll stay single._ " Chrom thinks through pursed lips. " _Lunch and games aren't everything in a relationship…_ "

The boy hides a groan as the two ladies keep talking. He doesn't want to hear more gossip about his sister; again, he'd much prefer to be having lunch with Robin and maybe... play… chess…

Chrom blinks. His and Robin's relationship is mostly built on talking over lunch and playing games together, isn't it? What does he _really_ know about Robin? She's a tactician, she likes board games and… that's it. That's all he really knows about her. Sure she's an amnesiac, but Chrom never bothered to learn her favourite food or other hobbies.

The thought seems absurd, but… is he like his sister's suitors? Maybe he isn't quite as rude as them, but he can't deny that part of Robin's appeal to him was that she was _very_ attractive. Power isn't really an object here, Chrom is already a prince, but that means his investment in this relationship is remarkably shallow.

"Attention Milords and Miladies!" A servant shouts over the din. "The meeting will resume in a moment, if everyone would please return to their seats!"

Chrom shakes his head and stands up. He'll think about this later.

###

"Sorry Robin, I can't make lunch today." Chrom apologizes, ducking out of the barracks. "I have other arrangements."

"Again?" Robin asks, eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Yes, my apologies." The prince coughs. "It seems this might be a regular occurance, perhaps we should just cancel our regular lunch."

"If you're really that busy…" The tactician murmurs, pursing her lips. "I'll be here for a few hours. If you finish quickly, come find me."

"Of course." Chrom mumbles, and leaves the barracks.

Robin waits a minute or two, checks the door to see Chrom's retreating form, and sends one of her clones to follow. She isn't stupid, she knows something is up. If Chrom really had a new arrangement it wouldn't be _every single day_ , and it's not like Chrom to just give up time with his friends. If this was a war council, Robin would have been told.

What's he up to…?

Robin's clones are extensions of her mind. She can see through their eyes, hear through their ears, and speak through them if she wishes. She watches through the clone following Chrom, trailing him back to the castle. Robin expects him to head to the meeting rooms, but instead the boy takes a path back to the royal chambers… and steps into his room.

Something important in his _room_? That's suspicious. There's something Chrom isn't telling her, and Robin doesn't like it.

###

Robin has no doubt about it, Chrom is avoiding her. The question is why…?

She thinks hard about the last few weeks. Robin knows she started being more flirty towards the prince, maybe that intimidated him? Chrom was always nervous with her showing affection towards him, especially when it comes to anything sensual. Did he got off-put that one time when she showed some cleavage?

Hmm… Robin never considered he might be a prude, but she's also doubting that's what's going on here. The problem is that Chrom is blatantly lying to her about having something to do when he's actually just hiding in his room. The prince has cut all contact with her that isn't related to work.

 _Why_ though, it was so sudden. He didn't reprimand her or anything though, so it's probably not something about her. So an outside factor? Did someone tell him to stop visiting her? Frederick maybe? Emmeryn? That doesn't seem right, Frederick doesn't have the authority and Emmeryn would never ask him to do something like that.

Robin needs to ask some questions.

###

"Truely? How odd, Milord never let anything but council stop his lunch visits…"

"I've never requested he stay away from you Robin, quite the opposite in fact. If my brother is avoiding you it's of his own volition. That in itself is concerning though…"

"My big brother gets weird ideas sometimes Rob. I'd bet my staff he thinks avoiding you is helping with something, and he's probably wrong."

Out of all people though, _Vaike_ was the most helpful.

"Chrom's avoidin' yah? That ain't right, he's even turns down sparrin' with ol' Teach just to keep your lunch dates! He's never been good with the ladies though, he told me his old man was real strict on _never_ voicin' dirty thoughts, and you're one hell of a looker Rob, that won't be helping his con… cont… that won't be helping his thoughts none. Maybe that's got somethin' to do with it?"

That makes a lot more sense. Just something else Chrom's asshole of a father screwed up. So, if Robin works off the logic that Chrom is going to beat himself up over any vaguely lustful thoughts, than all her flirting and whatnot is probably the reason for the prince suddenly avoiding her. Not because he dislikes what she's doing, but because he probably thinks that _he_ is doing something wrong in response.

Which is absurd logic of course, the entire _point_ of her persistent hugs and showing off her body is to prompt some romantic (and lustful) feelings from him. That's what she's _aiming_ for, not something she wants him to hide!

Goddamnit Chrom, stop being so considerate.

###

"There's four of me Chrom, exactly how did you expect to get away?" Robin scoffs, cornering the prince in the storage room. Two of her clones bar the door while the other holds the boy's shoulders. Thankfully Emmet is off doing something else, so he isn't working in the room at his desk like he would be usually. Robin and Chrom are alone.

"I wasn't trying to get away." The prince denies, sweating. He's been avoiding the girl rather effectively for the last month, but it seems the tactician has had enough. Chrom worried this day would come. "I was just… looking for Lissa's staff. She misplaced it."

"Chrom, you suck at lying."

"Damn…"

"I'm surprised Lissa never told you."

"She has, several times."

"And you still try anyways?"

"What other choice do I have?"

"Telling me what's actually going on."

"Well…" Chrom coughs. "Like I've said-"

"You hide in your room Chrom. I know you aren't doing 'something important'." Robin says bluntly.

Why is Chrom surprised? He shouldn't be. He knows Robin is intelligent, of _course_ she'd figure that out. "I-I-"

"So let me take a guess what's going on based on what I know and have heard from others, seeing as you don't want to tell me." The girl huffs, walking right up to him. "You're nervous when it comes to flirting and always second-guess yourself, right?"

Chrom winces at having his inadequacies put so bluntly. "I... Y-Yes…"

"Okay." Robin nods. "So basically what my idea boils down to is that you're freaking out over something you think is wrong… like looking at my legs or chest or something. Am I close?"

The prince's shoulders sag. The tactician isn't exactly right, but the girl still read him rather well. "Yes…"

"So, seeing as I've almost figured you out, mind filling in the gaps?" She hums.

"I…" Chrom still does _not_ want to talk about this, but he might as well at this point. "I'm _shallow_ Robin."

"Really?" Robin scoffs, raising an eyebrow. "And how is that?"

"I always take notice when you expose yourself even slightly." The prince admits shamefully. "And my initial interest in you was much more for your appearance than your intelligence or personality."

"Define 'initial'."

"The first week or so."

"Okay, continue…"

"Also, it occurs to me that our relationship is shallow. We've only talked over lunch and played board games. I know nothing about you, but I monopolize your time." Chrom explains, grimacing. "I can't even name your favourite food Robin."

"So what I'm hearing is that you feel guilty about the mere fact that you have a sex drive, and that you have a bad memory." Robin says flatly. "And that you take up a lot of my time which, by the way, _is my choice too_ Chrom. In fact, I'm usually the one that comes to you, so if anything I'm monopolizing _your_ time not the other way around."

"W-Well…"

Robin reaches out and pokes him in the nose. "I'm really bored without you so stop being a moron. I like having you around, you know the important things about me, lunch and games are our way of bonding, and it's _not a fucking crime_ to have lustful thoughts."

"B-But it's rude-"

"If I cared, maybe it would be rude, and _only_ if you actually acted on it. As it stands I don't care; there's a goddamn reason why I've been hugging you and showing skin." The girl continues, rolling her eyes. "Seriously Chrom, trying to avoid me at every possible turn is overkill. Next time just _ask_ if you're worried about something."

"Fine…" Chrom coughs. His face is scarlet red, and he looks _very_ uncomfortable. "I was just worried that my own intentions were wrong. I thought I might be like Emmeryn's suitors who only valued appearances."

"You worry _waaay_ too much Chrom." Robin sighs. She finally tells her clone to let go of his shoulders and all three of them gather behind her. "In the end it's up to _me_ if you're doing something I find good or bad. Same goes the other way around too."

"Sorry."

"It's fine Chrom. I'm just glad it wasn't anything serious." She murmurs. Robin takes a step forwards and pulls him into a hug. "I missed having you around."

The prince smiles sheepishly, and tentatively returns the gesture. "Yeah, me too."

"Oh, just to clarify." The tactician says, looking him in the eye, "when I do _this_ ," she pointedly squishes her chest against his and puckers her lips, "it's totally fine to be turned on."

The clones crowd around the boy, joining in the hug, and Chrom's ears turn red. "Gods Robin…"

"Gods Chrom." The girl parrots. "Just appreciate having four pretty girls around you and don't worry about 'restraining your thoughts' or whatever. I'm fairly sure your level of repression is unhealthy."

Chrom says nothing. He's too flustered to respond.

* * *

 **For some reason I have a headcanon that Chrom's father did an awful job of teaching him some very important things, like he told Chrom that he always had to be strong and the boy internalized that as meaning 'never let anyone have power over you' (hence the entire premise of the Hairweaver Robin chapter). Also, I imagine he just told Chrom 'sex is bad' and never explained romantic relationships, which gives us the main conflict of this chapter where Chrom has no idea how to deal with his own lust and has a hard time telling what's okay in his relationship with Robin.**

 **Basically I'm trying to give actual reasons to why Chrom is so dense sometimes, he never got taught about sex and romance and has no reference point for it, and learned some lessons that are more harmful than helpful.**

 **So in short: Chrom's father was a shitty life teacher and the prince has no idea how to interpret his own impulses so he pulls away to try and protect Robin.**

* * *

 **Invisible Prince** **:** I guess married life could work. Romance just appeals to me more than writing married life just to shoehorn Morgan in. I _do_ have ideas for Chrom and Robin as a married couple, a couple drafts of this chapter actually used that concept, but this worked out better in the end.

Here's your clones. They ended up being a lot less relevant than I intended. Maybe because this chapter wasn't war-focused I didn't explore the idea to its full potential. Actually adding the clones into the story at all was incredibly hard to be honest.

 **Pengaius** **:** I like it, no crossovers, and probably not.

 **Mrperson01** **:** There being no Grima actually didn't occur to me at all. I only looked at the Plegia-Ylisse war. That's a really good point...

I stand by what I said about Three Houses. I must concede that in game development you're totally right, gameplay is numero uno, but for _me personally_ (which I stated explicitly in the last paragraph) not so much. I just need good enough gameplay to stop getting bored, I get much more joy out of good character interactions than a well-crafted level.

In other words I just need a certain baseline of gameplay quality to enjoy the game, and I don't really care how far the gameplay is above that line so long as it _is_ above.

I _want_ good gameplay don't get me wrong, but lacking good characters and supports to go along with it is just going to make Three Houses forgettable. I truly believe the new support system plus the quirky but deep character design to be a good thing, and the trailer just makes me worry they'll throw it out in favour of more old-style supports and character personalites.

You make a fair point though, even if I disagree on the fine details I can get behind the general idea: good gameplay first, everything else second. I just hope that 'second' doesn't get neglected too much. I don't want game pieces with fancy names, I want _characters_ , and I worry those characters will lose the charm that Awakening (and a lesser extent Fates) brought to the series if Nintendo tries to go more old-style.

Thanks for your review BTW, don't want to sound like I'm ungrateful here.

 **Kamencolin** **:** Gonna go with lamia, and good idea to use monster girls. Such variety…

 **ScorinVoidseeker** **:** I dunno the backstory of Ghost Robin. Kinda like Hairweaver I didn't bother with the details and just focused on the present. You're welcome to make up your own backstory for him.

Xane. I have no idea who that is, I don't know popular things and I assume you're referring to some character you think I should know.

 **Maxis the Mercenary** **:** So Mute Robin?

Parasite Robin sounds a lot like Ghost Robin to be honest. I've been floating the idea of a Robin only Chrom can see/hear for a while, but I'm yet to find a way to make it work

Hivemind? Of what? Saying no to Robin Robin.

Mafia Robin and Boss Robin don't really fit the setting unfortunately. Good ideas though.


	19. Grimleal Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **This is probably a case of an idea that needs more than once chapter, but I think I can get a solid story out of just one. Inspired by Bonefish and Rotciv557's suggestions for Grimleal Robin.**

* * *

Chrom's eyes scan the hillside. Gangrel is easy to spot, his bright yellow garb is a sharp contrast to the dull orange and browns of the others. Beside him stands Maribelle, safe albeit bound, and a unknown Grimleal in a longcoat who hides their face under a deep hood.

"The Exalt in all her radiance? I fear I must shield my eyes!" The Mad King cackles.

"King Gangrel, I've come to settle this misunderstanding between us." Emmeryn responds calmly.

"Bwahaha! Of course you'd call it a misunderstanding!" The King laughs, sneering down at them. "You see, I understand _exactly_ what happened, there's not misunderstanding to clear up!"

"Then you will return Maribelle to us?"

"Oh yes, of course." Gangrel chuckles. "In exchange for…"

Chrom is expecting something unreasonable. Half the treasury, the Fire Emblem, Falchion, something absurd.

"...the prince, your brother, serving in my court."

Emmeryn blinks, and Chrom takes a step back. That's not even close to what they expected. "Whatever for?"

Gangrel grins, but it looks nervous. It's a far cry from his usual manic persona. The covered individual next to him steps forward, and speaks in his King's stead. "Ylisse had many things Plegia, and the Grimleal, want. We hope that by talk with the prince, and through him yourself, we may obtain that which we want."

Chrom isn't stupid, he sees exactly how slippery that wording is. They never specified what exactly they wanted. However… the prince also realizes it's not a totally one-sided offer. Sure, Gangrel can to interrogate him about Ylisse, but Chrom can also learn about Plegia by serving in the King's court.

"I'll go Emm." He murmurs to the Exalt. "We can make use of this too."

Emmeryn nods, though she doesn't look happy about it. This might be a false offer, and Chrom may just become prisoner to a foreign power... but if the offer is genuine it will be incredibly useful. Chrom is willing to take that chance, so Emmeryn will allow it. "As you wish. However, he will not go alone. I insist he be allowed to bring personal guards and servants."

"Pah, that's fine." Gangrel scoffs. "You have two weeks to arrive at my castle. My advisor will accompany you during that time to ensure your cooperation and answer whatever questions you might have concerning your new _occupation_." The king gestures to the covered individual standing next to him. "Men! Pull back! I have what I wanted…"

On that ominous note, the Plegian army picks itself up from its ready position and slowly draws back. The only exception is the figure in the longcoat and two dark mages. The figure cuts Maribelle's bonds and escorts her down to the group with the mages trailing behind.

"Maribelle!" Lissa cries, dashing forwards as soon as the girl reaches the bottom of the hill. "I was so worried!"

"Now dear, there was no need to fret." The noble lady says with a smile. "I showed those brutes what was what."

"If by that you mean you made a total nuisance of yourself, than yes." The figure says in a calm, distinctly male, voice. He pulls back his hood, revealing a shockingly young man with snow white hair, incredibly pale skin, and ghostly blue eyes. He also wears darkened glasses, something not visible with his hood up. "Though how you could mistake a military setup for a bandit camp is beyond me."

"Because obviously your soldiers dressed as bandits as a flimsy disguise!" Maribelle huffs, turning her head away from the man and sticking up her nose.

Chrom expects this to escalate, but the boy doesn't push it further and just shakes his head and murmurs: "no point arguing with those who won't listen." He then turns to Prince, and gives a small nod of his head. "Greeting Prince Chrom, my name is Robin. King Gangrel has entrusted me with guiding and advising you for the duration of your time with us."

"And how long will that be?" He asks tersely.

"Indefinitely." Robin responds camly.

###

In the end Chrom takes Vaike and Emmet with him. Frederick stays behind, someone needs to command the Shepherds until Lissa has enough experience to lead. Lissa needs Frederick's incredible skill far more than Chrom, and Vaike and Emmet are far from incompetent anyways.

It only took a day to have everything prepared to go. The people chosen to leave have very little to take along, with the largest thing being Chrom's sword collection which can be fit into two large crates with precise packing. The next three days are spend saying goodbyes, and doing 'one last sparring match' with most of the Shepherds. The third night is spent at a tavern enjoying a good party because they don't know when or if they'll ever do it again.

Robin is polite enough to wait for Chrom's hangover to clear up before they leave. They travel in a cart, having no need for speed with a week and a half remaining to get to the castle. It's an awkward ride, but made slightly better by Henry's (one of Robin's retainers) cheery attitude. He and Vaike get along rather well, and their loud conversation keeps the awkward silence at bay.

Then again judging by Tharja's scowl and Emmet's pursed lips Chrom thinks they'd prefer the others keep it down.

The Prince is determined to try and speak with Robin, but he can't think of a good subject. Maybe he could just ask about Plegia? But that's impersonal, he wants to try and understand _Robin_ and maybe make a new friend.

Well, _friend_ might be a stretch, but at least he'd like to know Robin doesn't hate him or something. So, in an attempt to say _something_ , Chrom just blurts the first thing that comes to mind.

"Your glasses are different." Brilliant Chrom. Just brilliant.

"Different from what?" The man asks, apparently not offended by the comment.

"From Miriel's. Hers are clear, yours are dark and I can't see through them."

"They're sunglasses." Robin explains, tapping the lense. "They're meant to block out sunlight. I keep my hood up most of the time for the same reason. I'm photophobic you see, and photosensitive. I don't mesh well with light."

"You're scared of light?"

"Pardon?"

"Photophobic."

"Ah, that just means my _eyes_ are sensitive to light."

"But arachnophobia is a fear of spiders, so why is photophobia an actual medical condition and not fear of light?"

"Beats me, I didn't name the condition." The man shrugs.

"So what's photosensitivity?"

"It means my skin is especially vulnerable to light." Robin murmurs. "Basically, I burn easy."

"Oh."

"It's all due to me being albino. Kinda annoying." The man shrugs. "I got used to it though. None of it is a real major problem."

"Is that why your eyes are ghostly?"

Robin blinks. "What?"

"Your eyes have a cool ethereal blue colour. Kinda what I think a ghost would have…" Chrom admits.

The man snorts in amusement. "I'm flattered. Also yes, that's because of my albinism. I suppose the _one_ advantage it gives me is 'looking cool'."

The rest of the trip is actually quite pleasant. After breaking the ice, Chrom finds his new guide to be quite a good conversation partner. Tharja and Emmet do not look happy to have another conversation ruining their quiet though.

###

"Bwahaha! My new courtier has arrived!" Gangrel cackles, leering down from his throne. "I trust you had a good trip Prince Chrom?"

"It was acceptable." The boy says calmly.

"Good…" The man says. "Be ready for council tomorrow Prince, we have much to ask of you. Robin!"

"Yes my King?"

"Have him prepped on the nuances of court. Especially those concerning your sect."

"Of course my Liege." Robin murmurs with a bow.

As Robin and Chrom walk out of the throne room, the Prince asks, "what exactly is your sect?"

"I am our King's religious advisor." The spectacled boy explains softly. "A high ranking member of the Grimleal."

Chrom blinks, he never expected a Grimleal to be so… normal.

"As you may be aware, the Grimleal have a reputation of being violent and unreasonable… and that's because they are." Robin admits. "My main job is to help King Gangrel find ways around their unreasonable demands. Did you know they wanted us to start a war with Ylisse on the border? Taking you as a courtier was our counter-offer; we claimed it would give us leverage over Ylisse without the need to waste troops."

"Wait, why do you need to work around them?" Chrom asks, frowining. "Doesn't the king make the rules?"

"Technically yes, in practice no." Robin grimaces. "The Grimleal have immense power in Plegia due to the majority of the clergy being dark mages or warriors rather than priests. They also have a massive influence over the populous, and insite fanatical devotion. In truth they are far more powerful than the King, and as such the King must find ways to work around or with them to get anything done."

"And Gangrel is working around them?"

"Yes, but they are pushing hard for war with Ylisse, and we can only hold off their demands for so long." The boy explains quietly. "That's part of why we wanted you here. Our King wants help from the Ylissian royal family, but can't ask formally at the risk of the Grimleal discovering it."

This is a lot more complicated than Chrom originally assumed. "Aren't you Grimleal too?"

"Technically yes. I'm lucky I was chosen as the King's advisor at all, I shudder to think of what might have happened if someone else was whispering in his ear. Most Grimleal aren't nearly as nice as me."

Chrom takes all this in, brow furrowed. "What exactly does Gangrel need help from the Ylissian royal family for?"

"We need control of the country back." Robin says bluntly, looking Chrom in the eye. "The hierophant is planning something big and even I don't know what it is. What we do know is that eventually the Grimleal will try to force a war on Ylisse, and we want to be sure the people will follow the word of the King, not them."

The prince nods slowly. This is a very complicated situation, but he thinks he understands. "Alright, you can count on me. I think I know what to do…"

###

Plegian council sessions are a very delicate dance. Chrom often finds himself being poked and prodded from many different sides as the numerous courtiers try to pry information out of him. Chrom, however, follows a very specific set of rules: don't give exact numbers or dates, never give out personal details, and never say more than asked (preferably say _less_ if you can).

Chrom's real job isn't council at all though. No, his real job is helping Robin try to undermine the Grimleal he supposedly represents. They crown can't go against the organization publicly, so the two need a plan to build the power of the crown without causing trouble… for now. A reckoning will come eventually, but it won't be today... or tomorrow... or anytime in the next month.

With any luck that reckoning will come years down the line when the Crown has enough power to stand up to the Grimleal and win. Chrom doesn't know if he'll be around for that, maybe he'll have returned to Ylisse, but it's something he can help start.

So how do they build up the Crown's power without challenging the Grimleal? The Church of Grima controls basic education which is a powerful tool, and has much more influence over the common people. The Crown, however, controls trade… and Chrom and Robin have a slightly complicated idea to abuse this.

Plegia has frequent food shortages, that's half the reason for the people's willingness to go to war and the bandit raids against Ylissian villages. Give the people of Plegia a stable living, and they won't be as willing to give up what they have to go fight. Ylisse has food surplus, Plegia has food shortage, the math isn't hard.

The Grimleal will obviously _not_ tolerate a trade deal with Ylisse, so Chrom sends a message to Flavia. Ylisse will send food to Ferox, Ferox will send it to Plegia, and the Grimleal will be none the wiser.

Of course trade can't be one way, merchants won't travel from Ylisse to Ferox to give away food with no compensation. The Feroxi will trade furs to the Ylissian merchants in exchange for the food, and then trade the food with the Plegian government for gold. Plegia gets food, Ferox gets gold, Ylisse gets furs. Perhaps the deal is not totally in Ylisse's favor, but Chrom knows Emmeryn will be more than happy to allow this if it means helping those in trouble.

The best part: it will be the _Crown_ distributing food, not the Grimleal. It's a small detail that will start building up the Crown as a reliable figure in the minds of the people whereas they used to be distant and irrelevant.

There needs to be some long-term work done to find stable crops and farming methods so the common people can eventually provide for themselves, but this trade deal should be a temporary fix (and certainly better than nothing).

###

Chrom had assumed bandits only raided Ylisse because they were sent by the Plegian military in disguise, he is very wrong.

"The merchants are complaining of bandits." Robin explains to the King as the lanky man peers over the map. "I suggest we assign some soldiers to guard the main route."

"Hold!" General Campari barks. "You're suggesting we move men away from the border? We'll give up our position of power!"

"Not so." Robin says calmly, he gestures to Chrom. "As mentioned by the Prince, the Exalt is still hoping for peace. Her soldiers on the border are minimal to begin with, mostly scouts. We'll only be in a worse position if we intend to push all the way into Ylisse without waiting for reinforcements, which would be foolish even if we _did_ have the bulk of our army on the Ylissian border because the Feroxi could sweep in from their side and cause massive damage. Relocating the soldiers protects the trade route, yes, but it also guards our other border."

Chrom stays silent through this discussion. Having the Ylissian representative agree with a plan would immediately draw suspicion, so it's best he say nothing. The Prince has gotten used to being quiet in most meetings, and when he needs to make a suggestion or point he has Robin to say it instead.

Although he's gotten used to court Chrom sorely misses the casual air of the Shepherds. Everything in the castle is so formal and stifling. The prince certainly misses the battlefield as well, he feels like all his training is going to waste.

Being a foreigner though, there's no way he'll be allowed to lead troops or even undertake a military mission. Such is life unfortunately. At least he can spar and go out for drinks with Vaike.

###

"To success!" Chrom cheers, raising his drink. Robin rolls his eyes, but obliges and raises his own.

"Remind me why I let you drag me to this bar?" He snorts.

"Because we passed the first hurdle, and we need to reward ourselves." The prince chuckles.

"Then why are _they_ here?" The tactician shoots back with a grin, motioning to Vaike, Henry, Tharja, and Emmet.

"Hey! Teach ain't gonna miss a chance to drink his rival under the table!" The blond man bellows, smirking. He throws an arm around Tharja, who glares at him. "And I ain't lettin' this one get out of a party! She don't get out enough!"

"Nyahaha! I'm just following her!" Henry laughs, also putting an arm around Tharja. The girl growls and shrugs the two off.

"I'm making sure you all don't get into trouble." Emmet sighs, stabbing a sausage with his fork. He's the only one without a drink, and stares pointedly at Chrom. "Naga knows you and Vaike get out of hand with your little competitions…"

"Careful Emmet, you're starting to sound like Frederick." Chrom jokes. The man gives the Prince an unamused look and goes back to his food. The blue-haired boy does appreciate the older man looking out for them though.

The six of them spend a few moments in quiet, and then Robin speaks. "You do know this is only the beginning right? One act won't solve everything."

"But it's a start!" The Prince laughs.

Perhaps his smile is infectious, because Robin laughs back. "Fair enough, so it is."

* * *

 **Yeah, this idea definitely needs more than one chapter. Still a relatively complete story out of just one though. First draft too, why is it only the female Robin stories that take seven drafts?**

* * *

 **WarriorofLight** **:** Noted.

 **TheJasoMaster** **:** So Runaway King Robin? Interesting…

 **Lord Commissar Bernn** **:** That's an odd one… and not really _Robin_ if they're basically Anna. Saying no to that, sorry.

 **ScorinVoidseeker** **:** Totally agree, don't worry. I needed a better way to write the clones it, but it was an incredible hassle so they ended up taking a backseat. I think I should have just stuck with one, like actual Replicate. I like how the chapter turned out otherwise though.

Never played the Archanea saga, I've only ever done Awakening, Fates, and Echoes. Interesting power…

So two different Grima Robin ideas with little additions. Gotcha.

Consistent Amnesia Robin has already been suggested.

Dancer Robin _might_ be workable, but it's a stretch. I'll write it down, but don't expect to see it anytime soon if ever.

 **Deathclaw** **:** So Heroes but not Heroes? Sorry, no. I don't know enough about the various Fire Emblem character to write that sort of story, and honestly it sounds like a hassle to make in the first place.

 **Invisible Prince : **That's not really a trait that can carry a story, it's like saying "Robin but with purple eyes!" or "Robin but with tanned skin!" It doesn't make a story on its own. I'll keep it in mind, but military work requires physical fitness so it might be hard to use.


	20. Anomaly Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **Basically Weeping Angel Robin. I like this idea, but it's a challenge to write.**

* * *

Everyone else thinks the statue is strange, but Chrom likes it. The statue depicts a girl with a longcoat with her eyes closed, but the hair is made of bronze, the skin is marble, and the coat is grey stone with gold highlights. It's a curious choice of materials, rather than just using one the artist used four different kinds. The girl also has a normal levin sword on her belt. The Prince thinks all this is very unique

 _Why_ there's a statue in the middle of this empty bandit camp is beyond him, but Chrom thinks it doesn't detract from the quality of the work. The statue seems to be in perfect condition and it's very life-like. The quality is truly astonishing.

"What should we do with it?" Lissa asks curiously.

"We leave it." Frederick scoffs. "We have no means of transporting it."

"Come on Frederick, we're not _that_ far from the village." Sully chuckles. "It can fit in our supply cart, we'll pick it up tomorrow on our way home. Besides, the captain seems to like it."

Chrom won't deny that. "I _do_ think it's well made. Besides, maybe the bandits that used to camp here stole it or something. We could try to find who it was taken from."

The knight rolls his eyes. "It is your call Milord…"

"We'll come back for it then." The prince says, patting the statue on the shoulder. He blinks in surprise, touching cloth rather than stone. "This is an actual coat…"

"Really?" Lissa asks, she pokes the statue in the stomach. "Huh, so it is. Wait…" She reaches up and tentatively touches the cheek. "Okay that's freaky. It totally feels like skin."

"What, so it's a mime now?" Sully snorts, stomping over. "One way to find out. Hey girl! Move or I'll punch you!"

"Sully!" Stahl scolds.

"Not doing anything huh?" Sully continues when the statue doesn't move. "Here ya go then!" She reels back a fist and jab it into the statue's stomach. Nothing happens, so she shrugs. "See? Just a statue. Maybe it feels like she has skin, but I'll bet it's just silk or something over stone. That damn well felt like punching rock."

"Can we _not_ punch the statue?" Chrom sighs, smoothing out its coat. "Let's just go back to Southtown. We'll pick it up tomorrow."

"Yeah yeah." Sully snorts. "Hey, do you think that's a real levin sword though? Should we-"

"We're not stealing the sword." Chrom says firmly. "This statue belongs to someone, we're not taking their stuff until we have tried every possible avenue to find the owner."

"Fine, fine… but we're passing up a fine weapon." The cavalier grumbles.

The Shepherds start walking down the path back to the main road, and Chrom gives one last glance to the statue. It feels wrong to just leave it here, but they need the cart to transport it…

...and the prince swears it was looking straight ahead just a few moments go, but the statue is looking down the path after them. It must be a trick of Chrom's mind, the statue must have always been looking that way.

###

"Lissa!" Chrom hollers. The moan of the new walking corpses surrounds him, and the prince is dodging swipes from axes and spears with every step he takes. "Lissa!"

He doesn't understand; why did a giant eye appear in the sky? Why did it drop these monstrous undead on the town? More importantly, where is Chrom's sister?!

"Chrom!" Lissa's shrill voice catches his attention, and his head whips around to the forest. The blonde-haired girl is backing away from one of the creatures in fear, and is forced to dart into the first. Chrom curses and gives chase, he wants to help the other Shepherds but Lissa has no weapon, they'll have to fend for themselves.

The prince starts his desperate race through the forest, chasing his sister through the light of the full moon. Even with the glow, he's navigating mostly by light bouncing off the creature's armor and weapon as it runs. The trees block too much light to see reliably, and Chrom stumbles more than once.

Suddenly the creature halts in place. Chrom is too far to see what happened, but the undead is flailing at some unseen attacker. Getting closer, the prince can see the monster is impaled by a jagged sword thrumming with electrical magic. Lissa, no longer hearing the creature following her, stops running and turns around. Her face is white with fear, but seeing the creature disappear into smoke prompts her to cautiously make her way to Chrom.

The prince, on the other hand, is staring in disbelief (and no small amount of fear) at the person that killed the undead. The statue from before stands there, perfectly immobile with her sword outstretched. Her eyes are open, and at this point Chrom can see that she doesn't have sculpted eyes but two black holes where eyes would usually be.

"That's terrifying…" Chrom breathes, stepping away from the statue.

"Is that the same statue?!" Lissa shrieks. "Did it just stab a zombie?! Oh gods!"

"I-It's not moving now though." Chrom stammers. "And I swear it moved it's head when we were walking away from it before… can it only move when we aren't looking at it?"

"Gods, gods, gods…" The princess is starting to hyperventilate. "I was prepared for brigands, maybe seeing some blood, but not _zombies and killer statues_!"

The prince exchanges a glance with his sister, they both realize what they just did, and instantly looks back at the statue. Sure enough the statue has moved, it's sword is now by its side and it has taken a step towards them, free hand outstretched

The two of them do the logical thing people do when confronted with something completely terrifying: they get the hell out of there. The siblings run full speed back to the town, zombies be damned. The entire way back they throw glances behind them, half expecting to see the killer statue chasing them through the woods.

###

With the combination of zombies and killer statues, the Shepherds ride all the way back to Ylisstol in one trip as soon as the undead are dealt with. Needless to say they're all about to fall over, but Chrom and Frederick move to speak with Emmeryn as soon as they arrive.

If she hadn't gotten reports from other sources about the zombies, Chrom is almost positive his older sister would assume he was drunk from the way he can barely keep himself upright out of sheer exhaustion.

"I've heard nothing of statues, but we have received reports of these undead creatures all across Ylisse." Emmeryn says grimly. "The council has named them 'Risen', and we will be holding an emergency tomorrow to discuss them. Get some rest Chrom, we have long days ahead of us."

Chrom gratefully makes his way to his room, pausing only to bid goodbye to Frederick (who needs sleep himself) and collapses in his bed.

###

"Gaaagh…"

Chrom startles awake at the sound of someone gagging. He scrambles for Falchion, rolling out of his bed onto the floor and holding the holy sword in front of him.

An assassin is leaning over his bed, body suspended by the levin sword through its chest. Blood drools from the man's mouth, dripping onto the sheets, and a dagger slips free from his lax fingers.

The statue standing behind him is as silent as ever, but has its head turned towards Chrom and stares with empty eyes. The blue-haired boy had almost convinced himself he'd imagined seeing the thing a week ago, but here it is.

"Y-Y-You f-followed m-me…" Chrom stammers, his hands shaking as much as his voice. His eyes flick to the door, noting that it is in fact open. He can run right now if he needs to. "Wh-What do y-you want?!"

The statue- no, it can't be a statue. Clearly it's alive. Chrom is certain it can't move so long as he keeps looking at it. There's no guarantee it can communicate at all, and the prince doesn't want to look away to find out. However, he also can't ignore the fact that someone just tried to assassinate him and this thing quite possibly saved his life. If it has information, Chrom needs to let it speak.

Still trembling, Chrom slowly closes his eyes. "Wh-What do you know?" He asks, tensing in fear. "Why are you here?"

The prince hears the ruffling of cloth and a sickly 'thump' as the assassin's body slides off the levin sword. A soft, musical, echoing voice whispers: "Emmeryn is in danger. Go Chrom…"

Chrom doesn't waste time. He has little reason to disbelieve this thing after it saved his life, even if it terrifies his. He scrambles into his armor and barrels down the hallway, making a mad dash for Emmeryn's room.

The sound of combat rises from the hall in front of him. It seems the thing wasn't lying. Chrom runs past his teammates, already awake, fighting off more cloaked assassins. Sully is dueling one of them sword-to-lance, and Frederick is gallantly blocking the entrance to Emmeryn's room by fighting off three of them at once.

"Hah!" Chrom shouts, stabbing one of Frederick's attackers in the back. "Frederick, what's the situation!?"

"Assassins in the castle Milord." The knight grunts. "However, we have obtained a few new allies, including a thief with orange hair. Don't stab him by accident."

"The others?"

"A taguel woman and a blue-haired boy with a mock Falchion." Frederick says quickly, gutting yet another assassin. "According to the boy, there is a sorcerer by the name of Validar leading the attack."

"Are all the Shepherds here?"

"Yes Milord."

"I'll find a few people to stay here and guard Emmeryn, the rest of us will go take the fight to Validar." Chrom grunts.

The prince spends the next few minutes running around the few adjacent hallways gathering the Shepherds. He recruits Kellam, Ricken, Maribelle, Virion, and their new ally Panne to guard his sister. The remainder of the Shepherds form up into a tight squad and march through the halls, following Marth's lead as he navigates them through the hallways to Validar's position.

"So, you're still alive Prince?" A lanky, grey-skinned man sneers, hoisting a Waste tome. The cavaliers surrounding him level their lances, preparing to charge. "No matter, I'll deal with you myself!"

The Shepherds scatter to avoid the charging cavaliers. Federick is the only one who doesn't seem to car, and unseats one of the lesser knights with a solid swing of his lance.

Validar quickly proves himself a dangerous foe, his Waste spell nearly tears Vaike's arm off when the blond-haired man tries to fight him. Miriel distracts the man with a barrage to fire, and the two mages start to duel as Lissa heals up Vaike.

"Your demise is nigh!" Miriel shouts. She sidesteps another blast of dark magic and pulls a massive fireball from her tome. The mage hurls the ball of fire at surprising speeds, blasting the sorcerer with scorching flame.

"No…!" Validar coughs, taking a few staggered steps backwards. "This is… wrong! It was- ack- all... written!"

"A foolish notion." Miriel huffs, readjusting up her glasses. "The future is shaped as a consequence of past and current actions and decisions. While it can certainly be predicted, it is _never_ certain."

The man snarls, and despite his injuries pulls a small pendant out of his cloak. It flashes once, and Validar vanishes in a puff of smoke.

"Dark magic teleportation…" Miriel muses, unphased by her opponent escaping. She quickly pulls out a notebook and quill, seeing as all their opponents have fallen by this point. "Fascinating. Mother was correct, it _is_ possible…"

Chrom shakes his head and sighs in relief. He's just thankful everyone is alive and well.

###

The Shepherds barracks may look to visitors like it has new decoration, but the Shepherds themselves know better. That's no statue, it's their tactician.

Robin is strange. She doesn't need food, drink, or sleep, and moves silently despite her heavy cloak. She's _extremely_ tough, with bronze weapons straight up snapping against her body if swung hard enough.

She can't normally fight due to the whole 'being seen means she can't move' deal, but her silent movement, extreme speed, and monstrous strength means she functions as a terrifying assassin. She can't take part in large battles, but can scout and eliminate targets extremely efficiently at night.

Most Shepherds avoid Robin though, despite now knowing she's an ally the girl still scares them. Only Chrom makes an effort to spend time with the tactician (which is difficult due to not being able to look at her) be that through allowing her to bounce ideas off him or playing a game of chess.

They may have gotten off to a rough start, and the Shepherds are still wary, but Chrom is thankful to have Robin's help. Her tactician knowledge is invaluable, and the prince can't disregard that she's saved both his life and Lissa's on two separate occasions. In time he hopes the other Shepherds will get over their aversion just like he did.

* * *

 **This is a fine chapter. No real comment here. Not my best, not my worst, just good.**

 **Okay, so since people keep repeating ideas in the reviews, I'll give you the current list of valid requests/suggestions (in no particular order): Blind, Mind Control, Gunslinger, Vampire, Grima, Pirate, Repeating Amnesia, Taguel, Kleptomaniac, Druid, Steampunk, (Phantom?) Thief, Old, Dancer, Mimic, BBW, Kitsune, Lamia (and other MGs), Medusa, Slime, Time Travel, and Valmese.**

 **I, of course, have my own list I'm not showing you of about 25 more ideas beyond these. I want to keep those a secret to surprise you, like with this chapter.**

* * *

 **Cortega** **:** Yeah, Scorin suggested that before. It's an interesting idea, but I'm not sure how to tackle it.

 **omegazeroinfi** **:** Maybe, but it's all about how you write it. Besides, these are all AUs, I don't stick strictly to the script of the original game. Events happen out of order, some people show up earlier or later or just have altered personalities. I just need to make a good story out of it, it doesn't matter how much an advantage he has, this isn't about gameplay balance after all!

 **Kweh Viola** **:** Not a bad idea… but it also doesn't really fit the kinds of stories in this collection. You might have to settle for normal thief Robin.

 **ScorinVoidseeker** **:** Possibly. The Male Robin stories do end up feeling a bit _less_ impressive sometimes.

Politics are fucking _hard_ to write. It took me a while to figure out how to do that. Research was a lot more helpful for 'traits of Albinism' than searching up 'how to undermine the church'.

If you want we can talk, but I'm not sure what there is to straighten out. I make these stories up as I go, I have no _plan_ going into them. I can probably think of something for dancer Robin, but I don't think I can make it as interesting as some other ideas (due to my lack of skill, not that it's a bad idea). Dancer Robin is at the bottom of my list so to speak.

That's a curious combination. Do your best!

 **WarriorofLight12** **:** We _won't_ be getting a continuation though, at least not in _this_ collection. I want to keep this consistent and clean, so each idea gets one chapter only. I'm kicking around the idea of a separate story to do multi-chapter ideas though, so maybe it'll make a reappearance there.

I only promise to consider; in the end it comes down to my writing skill and some ideas just don't mesh with me no matter how good they are.

Yeah, F!Robin is cuter. I'd use her all the time, but I felt it would make this collection to repetitive to have romance every chapter.

I remembered to put '12' at the end of your name this time.

 **Maxis the Mercenary** **:** Would you prefer just that she can petrify or that she actually _looks_ like a medusa too?

Speedrunner Robin makes no context in terms of the collection. Too meta. Sorry.

 **XenoEmblem4TW** **:** I'm not doing bird Robin precisely _because_ of how absurd it is. I don't do funny stories very well, my strength lies elsewhere.

I choose Kitsune then.


	21. Taguel Robin

**Disclaimer** **:** **I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **Taguel/Laguz/Shapeshifter Robin, inspired by the suggestions of WarriorofLight12 and XenoEmblem4TW. Not taking everything from the suggestions, just what I can make a good story out of.**

 **Don't ask me where in the timeline this supposedly takes place. I have no idea.**

* * *

"Hide me."

"Panne again?" Chrom chuckles as the boy cowers behind the desk.

"Evil bunny!" Robin hisses. "I don't know anything about 'taguel customs' or whatever and I don't care! I don't want to drink nature juice and eat leaves either!"

"She asked you to tea Robin, that's very normal."

" _Herbal_ tea, with lettuce as a snack. _Lettuce_ Chrom!" Robin growls. "Who eats lettuce as a snack!?"

"Apparently Panne."

"Yeah, I got that already."

"Just entertain her Robin. You're the only other of her kind, she's probably lonely."

"I'm a _wolf_ Chrom, not a bunny!"

"You're still taguel though."

"Details details…"

There's a knock on the the office door, and Robin stiffens.

"Say nothing." He hisses at the prince.

The man shakes his head in amusement. "Come in."

"Fuck you Chrom." Robin mumbles, crouching lower behind the desk.

Panne steps into the room. Her eyes quickly flick over the room, not seeing what she's looking for. She sniffs the air for a moment, and her head stares directly at the spot Robin is hiding. Chrom chuckles in greeting. "Hello Panne, looking for Robin?"

"Yes." The Taguel says curtly. "Robin, why do you squat behind the desk? Are you searching for something? Why did you run upon seeing me?"

"I'm uh…." Robin coughs, shooting Chrom a final glare as he stands up. "I lost a document."

"Under the captain's desk?"

"Yes." the tactician says with a completely straight face. Sometimes Robin's ability to lie amazes the prince.

"I will assist you then." The taguel says firmly.

"Er, no!" Robin coughs. "It's not too important. Did you need something of me?"

"Yes, I wish to continue our conversation from earlier…"

Chrom chuckles as Robin reluctantly follows Panne out. He shakes his head and returns to his paperwork. The tactician is exaggerating as usual, he'll be fine.

###

"Seriously?" Chrom sighs, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Owain, I expect you to know better. Robin… what in the world were you thinking?"

"We were just just acting..." The tactician pouts, crossing his arms. His long black hair falls in his face, and he petulantly blows it out of the way.

"By charging around the courtyard in wolf form with Owain on your back?" The prince asks dryly.

"We were enacting a glorious charge of Odin Dark and his faithful steed: the Hellhound!" Owain says dramatically, pointing Missletain to the sky. "The hero and his companion ride towards the armies of the Fell Emperor Xero! The dark hero's cape billows in the wind and Hellhound's fur ripples as they move across the plains, the sky as dark and cloudy as Odin's soul-!"

"Okay, okay, I get the picture!" Chrom interrupts. Gods these two are a quite the pair, Chrom wishes Robin wouldn't encourage Owain's theatrics. As much as Chrom loves his nephew from the future he never could follow the boy's ramblings, and he doesn't need his best friend making that worse. "Just use common sense next time."

"Sorry Uncle Chrom." Owain coughs.

"Yeah yeah…" Robin huffs at the prince. "Whatever Killjoy."

Chrom rolls his eyes to the sky. The things he puts up with…

###

"You give the taguel great shame." Panne scolds. "Letting them climb over you like that…"

"You're just jealous." Robin hums, rolling his large wolf form onto its back. Two year old Lucina and one year old Owain (the younger version obviously) along with little Cynthia gurgle happily, and grab at the fluffy tufts that are his ears. "I bet you don't get your ears scratched."

"I would hardly define their childish pawing as getting one's ears scratched."

"Jealous~!" Robin sings. He nuzzles the little boy and gives him a lick on the nose. "Come on, join in."

"No."

"Suit yourself." Little Lucina clambers onto his stomach, so Robin lifts a paw to playfully bat at her hands. The girl shrieks in delight, flailing her little hands in responds. "Go do something else then, you don't need to hang around me Panne. I've already told you I know nothing about Taguel traditions and whatever."

Panne stays silent, watching the wolf play with the children. Robin a tactician with no war to fight, it seems to her like he has plenty of free time but wastes it on playing with the royal infants and hanging around the future children. Panne herself spends most of her waking hours in the royal library searching for any possible reference on the taguel. The books being Ylissian, however, mean that such references are rarely flattering or even vaguely helpful. The characteristic racism of the Ylissian people shows strongly in their depictions of other people, Panne has a hard time finding a factual account of Taguel activities but pushes her search anyways...

...and Robin, also a member of the taguel race, seems to care so little for the history of their people. Instead he plays and frolics his days away. Disappointing.

The taugel lady watches for a moment longer, sighs, and leaves. She has something _productive_ to do.

###

"That's hella stupid." Robin snorts, leaning back. "Seriously, wow."

"It's tradition Robin." Chrom sighs.

"Chrom, that's like saying 'we shouldn't change it because its old' which, by the way, is _terrible_ logic." The tactician scoffs. "Are you going to say that we shouldn't let women in the army then 'because it's tradition'?"

"You're intentionally picking the worst possible examples." The prince accuses.

"Yeah, because it makes my point!" The tactician protests. "Don't let the church get its way here! They have no place in this!"

"It's just a party Robin, there's no harm in inviting the pope even if it's just because of tradition."

"Nay I say! Never! Don't give in to the grips of tradition Chrom!" Robin cries. "Step away from the dark side! Improve on the past, don't submit to it!"

The prince sighs and rubs his forehead. He should have known better than to bring this up with Robin.

###

"Boo!"

"Eek!"

"Gah-! Boss?! Don't do that."

Robin grins at the two children, and stops hiding behind the tree. "Sorry, had to. Noire, Brady, I have a question for you both."

"Shoot." Brady grunts.

"Did Panne have a kid?" The tactician asks.

Noire shifts nervously. "W-We're not supposed to talk about stuff like that. We shouldn't influence-"

"I don't need to know anything about them! I just want to know _if_ she had one." Robin clarifies.

Brady looks suspicious. "Why Boss?"

"You tell me and I'll tell you." Robin counters. He smirks to himself as the blond boy mulls it over. He chose to ask these two because he thought they'd be the least resistant to giving him information, and it would seem he's right.

"Gah… fine." The monk sighs. "Yeah, she did."

"All I need to know." The tactician says. "Thanks."

"So spill, what's the reason you need to know?" Brady prys.

"She's always so focused on customs this, tradition that, I was worried she isolated herself from everyone. She gets too little contact with other people as is currently…"

"S-So you were just concerned?" Noire asks.

"Yeah." Robin grunts. "Glad to hear she finds _someone_ though. She's one of the few Shepherds with no significant relationships at the moment so…"

"You keep track of that stuff?" Brady says, surprised.

"Of course I do! It's my job to take care of everyone under my command, and that includes making sure they aren't socially isolated their entire lives." The man huffs. "Either way, thanks, but I can't talk more. I've got a meeting to go to."

"Well don't let me keep ya." The monk snorts, shooing him off. "Go keep Owain and Cynthia entertained."

"How'd you know?"

"Justice Cabal always meets Thursdays, hard to forget when Owain always pesters me to come." Brady says, wearing a dry smile. "Now shove off, yah interrupted our walk."

###

"Panne! The Wolf would speak with you!" Robin says dramatically, sweeping into the library.

"I refuse to refer to myself as 'the Bunny', no matter how many times you ask." Panne says curtly, not looking up from her book. "Why have you come here tactician?"

"What? Can't a man visit his friend?" He asks cheekily, taking a seat. "But seriously though, I've come to ask ask how your research is going."

The woman raises an eyebrow. "And here I thought you cared little for taguel traditions."

"Oh no that's very true." Robin admits bluntly. "I don't care. Tradition just means doing something because other people did it in the past, and sometimes that thing is totally pointless like sacrificing a goat to ensure good weather."

"Humans haven't done that for years."

"Yeah, but they did do it for a while even after they realized it wouldn't make a difference just because of _tradition_." Robin's sneer makes it very clear what he thinks of that. "What a waste of a life… That's one of the more extreme examples of course, but a lot of the time I do think people would be better off if they used actual logic rather than just listening to tradition."

"That explains why you care so little about Taguel history." Panne sighs. "I cannot say I agree with you, even if I understand your thoughts. Traditions are part of who we are, they show respect to those who came before us and give us a sense of unity."

"And sometimes they're stupid, destructive, impractical, and/or pointless." Robin responds curtly.

"Perhaps." Panne says, pursing her lips. "But that is not always the case."

"Yeah, but _most_ traditions fall into the pointless category." The tactician grumbles.

"You place little value on the past, do you?"

"I have no memory, I don't know what the past _is_ and even if I did I have no emotional connection to it." Robin sighs. "I don't care what the taguel did or who they were, they're strangers to me. I woke up in a field among humans and found family among humans. The taguel are a tragedy but… I can't relate."

Panne seems to sag, the picture of someone defeated. "Then I am truly alone. I suppose I cannot force you to care. I had hoped that another taguel would have some knowledge of our traditions, and when that did not happen I had hoped to have assistance."

"I'm sorry Panne, really." Robin grimaces. "I wouldn't say you're alone though, that's just because you stay in the library most of the time. You do have friends Panne, even if most aren't taguel."

"Most? You mean none."

"Hey, I count!"

###

"Robin…" Chrom sighs.

"Hey, we're testing out a legitimate battle strategy! We even did it away from the castle!" The tactician protests. If a wolf could look like it was pouting, Robin certainly did. "It's just a few bruises Chrom, and we have vulneraries on hand!"

"I am _not_ letting you and Owain do wolf cavalry."

"Hey, _I'm_ the tactician here!"

"Tell me then, how practical is taguel wolf cavalry?" The prince asks dryly.

"It's… kinda shit actually." Robin admits sheepishly. "Having someone on my back limits mobility a lot. It looks cool though."

"So you're not crazy." Chrom sighs in relief. "Seriously Robin, don't you have a better use of your time?"

"Than what?" Robin asks, sounding genuinely affronted. "What better use of my time is there than spending time with my friends? It's _fun_ Chrom."

"You're acting like children…"

"He _is_ a child more or less. He's only sixteen."

"I was talking more about you."

"I don't _remember_ being a kid Chrom." The tactician reminds him. "Playing with Owain and Cynthia are some of the only chances I'm going to get to know what that's like."

Chrom blinks in surprise. "Okay, I hadn't considered that."

"Yeah, well, amnesiac remember?" Robin snorts. "Plus, I have no outstanding skills beyond battle tactics and we're at peace right now so that's kinda useless. Keeping the kids entertained is something to do, and it's _fun_."

"And by 'the kids' you mean the infants, Owain, and Cynthia."

"Well yeah, they're the ones with a cool club."

###

"Paaaaanne!"

"I have no desire to attend your silly-"

"Come on shut-in." Robin chuckles, poking the reluctant lady in ear. "All the Shepherds are going to be there, even Tharja, and she _hates_ this sort of stuff. If she can be there so can you."

"But-"

"The books aren't going anywhere Panne."

"Fine…"

* * *

 **I think I'll end this here. We've sufficiently explored Robin's psychology, Panne becomes a bit more social, and the nuances of tradition are thoroughly butchered by someone who knows very little about them (me!).**

 **It was difficult to find a way to show Robin's powers without throwing pointless fights in there. Combat is fine, but if it doesn't serve some narrative purpose I prefer to keep it out.**

 **Tradition is** _ **not**_ **a subject I was expecting to tackle in this chapter, but that's what I get for not planning these chapters out. I don't necessarily agree with either Robin or Panne, just showing both sides. This chapter is biased in Robin's favour, but that's more the case of the story being from his perspective than him actually being right.**

* * *

 **Reader** **:** Maybe not the Ranma thing, but Genderfluid Robin is otherwise an idea I can get behind.

 **The Restless Drifter** **:** Never heard of that game before. Sounds horror-like.

I'll take it under consideration, might be a hard idea to work with though.

 **ScorinVoidseeker** **:** Strange interactions are fun, though they often require the most work to write.

 **Guest** **:** _Yes_. Not sure if I like Robin being male in this case, but I _love_ the idea of Arranged Marriage Robin.

 **IsThisWorking** **:** Memetic what-hazard? I presume that's a joke suggestion or a reference that's going over my head.

 **Darklight of the 0 arcana** **:** Both of those ideas can very easily be story-breakers, but I do like them. I'm going to take Goddess Robin over Kryptonian here, because the latter is harder to fit into the Fire Emblem universe because it requires backstory.

 **Agent of Chaos 112** **:** Yeah, that's already been suggested. It's on the list.

Can you explain further what you mean by nothing happened? From what I see quite a bit happened (assassination attempt, Robin saving Chrom and Lissa's life a few times, Chrom overcoming his fear of something unnatural), however if it was unsatisfying I'd like to know exactly why you think that. Was there too little of something in particular? Something missing?

 **Vanderspiegel** **:** I'll add it to the list with the other Grima ideas already suggested. I do love a redemption/change-of-heart story though.

 **Fregler :** Yeah, I like Succubus Robin too. Personally I'm partial to her, Hairweaver, and Mirroreye.


	22. Grima Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **This is version two, expanding on the first to make it slightly better. It's still a clumsy chapter with unresolved plot threads and a human vs dragon nature that doesn't quite get across as well as I planned, but it better delivers the idea than the first version and doesn't make Chrom look like a complete moron.**

 **I also realize now that this is an idea that** _ **needs**_ **more than one chapter to do well, but this is what you get. One chapter per idea, that's the rule here.**

 **This is the much-requested Grima Robin. Taking inspiration from Vanderspiegel, ScorinVoidseeker, Rotciv557, and Guest.**

 **Doing first person rather than third here, it seems fitting. This is actually how I usually write, I changed to third person for The Robin Variable just to get experience.**

* * *

Robin… such a well made _mask_. A poor amnesiac girl found in a field, she looks like child with large red eyes and curled blonde hair… how innocent. But she has secret talents: tactics, magic, swordplay! Not only that, but she's taken in by a sympathetic prince!

The story is outlandish, romantic, dramatic! It's too intricate to be easily dismissed. Oh, how I _love_ refuge in audacity!

I am _not_ some innocent brat though, even if I play the part. I am Grima the Fell Dragon, she who is destined to end the world as these mortals know it!

...and I should _not_ be forced to cook dinner like some common peasant!

"Wow Robin, you're good at this." Sully says, impressed.

" _Anything is good compared to the pig slop you make and call food!_ " I think. On the surface though, I smile and say "oh no, I'm fairly average. You should see Maribelle cook."

"Yeah, when she isn't griping about doing chores in the first place." The cavalier chuckles. I internally agree, that woman does nothing but bitch and scoff when you try and talk to her, but I know Robin would say something different.

"She's just not used to this." Ugh… I really wish I chose a different personality than a warm-hearted lover-of-all. Robin even annoys _me_. "Besides, she does her chores despite the complaints. I think she just needs to vent."

"Maybe, but couldn't she do that around Lissa and not us?"

 _Yes! I totally agree! That insect deserves death for her incessant complaints!_

###

"Robin, are you in here?" The Prince's voice rings out in the strategy tent.

Chrom. The one mortal I can actually stand. I could even say that I might _like_ him. Proposterous, I know, _me_ enjoying the company of a mere human… but it's true. I find the man's scenserity and blind trust amusing, and he's the only other besides Viron (an insufferable man, what gives him the right to flirt with the Fell Dragon herself!?) who will actually play strategy games with me. He's not _good_ , but completely crushing him is fun enough.

"Yes I am! What can I do for you Chrom?" I chirp, spinning around to face the entrance. The blue-haired boy steps in, grinning sheepishly.

"I sorta need a refresher on tomorrow's plan." The Prince admits sheepishly. "I sorta got lost halfway through…"

"I'd be happy to help!" I say with an innocent smile, beckoning him over. I quickly rearrange everything on the table, making it so everything I need to explain is close by. Chrom moves to stand by my side, an arm's length away, so I close the gap by sliding up next to him. "Now, here's the goal…"

I must strive to keep the Prince's trust. Should someone ever learn of my true nature I can survive if only I can keep Chrom convinced that I am Robin, for the Prince will never give on on someone he considers a friend…

How easy he is to predict.

###

Dangerous? These Risen are a paltry shade of what I could make with a snap of my fingers… yet I must feign fear nonetheless for the sake of my facade. I must also hold back my magic, and stick to pathetic thunder spells so as to not arouse suspicion.

I have my Expiration tome hidden in my robes right now, it would be so easy to annihilate these creatures in an instant. Even in weakened human form I could use that tome to call on my dragon breath… but I must resist the urge. Similarly I have Mercurius hidden in my tent which could make short work of these weaklings.

No though. Instead I stand behind Chrom with yellow tome in hand, giving commands to the incompetent novices around me. I sorely miss the elite Risen I had before, and having Morgan by my side would render me living with the Shepherds totally unnecessary.

Perhaps I was foolish to rush after the children. At this point I am likely just as weak as the Grima of this world…

Hmm. I just realized something. Shouldn't the Grima of this world be in my place right now? Perhaps they are unafflicted at the moment. I only realized my potential as Grima after Validar bonded my mind with the fell spirit of a dead dragon. I am not that dragon despite taking their name, but I can control their corpse like a giant dragon puppet.

Or should I say I _could_ control their corpse. I had to leave it behind to travel to the past, it requires far more power to transport a giant dragon zombie through time than one human vessel.

If only I had arrived in Plegia rather than Ylisse… even with all my power my aim was unfortunately off. Now I hide with these fools until the time comes that I can kill this world's version of me and take the power of this world's Grima as my own. I will have a new dragon puppet, the return of my former powers, and a new world to take over…

...and I'll finally finish what I started in the last: executing those who opposed me.

First through, I must keep up this facade. Keep my mind on the battle, try not to let slip my true power, and try not to get annoyed at how pathetic this so-called 'elite squad' is.

###

"Halt girl!" A voice calls out from behind me.

I am walking alone down the hallways of the Ylissian royal castle. It's a few hours past dinner time: the shadows are already long, and the light slowly fades from the world around me. It's nearly time to sleep, so why does the Duke of Albenion bother me _now_ of all times? I don't recall having any interaction with him before save perhaps both of us appearing at council.

The fat man runs up, huffing and puffing. I hold back the desire to sneer at the obvious food stain on his cravat that he tried to hide by shoving it into his collar. Instead I put on a look of curiosity and say: "Oh, Duke Albenion. How can I help you?"

"Do not mock me fiend!" The man barks, pointing a fat finger at me. "I know a grimleal when I see one! You may have gained the Prince's trust, but you do not fool _me_!"

Oh ho… how audacious of him to think he can confront a grimleal on his own, especially one that is known to be combat capable. What sort of power does he think he has? "Understands good sir, I am an amnesiac, I wear the close that happened to be on my person the day I was found. Perhaps my past self was Grimleal, but _I_ am not so."

"You think I would be fooled by such an outlandish story?!" The man scoffs.

"I didn't consider you at all." I say. "For it is no story sir."

"Grimleal trickery!" The man shouts. His breath washes over me, reeking of alcohol. I wonder if he would have risked this confrontation if he'd been right of mind. This also explains his lack of a weapon. "For someone who claims amnesia, you lack any sort of curiosity! I have seen you in the town, you ask no questions and move with purpose! For one who has been here all of three months you are far too comfortable!"

Well now, that's surprising. I had assumed he was accusing me purely out of racism or religious intolerance, but it would seem he actually has a legitimate point. This man isn't as stupid as he looks.

It's dangerous for someone to have evidence against me, I should kill him.

"Grimleal…" I say, dropping my polite neutral expression. I allow a smirk to cross my face. "You offend me. A mere Grimleal? I am far more significant than any Grimleal."

"So you admit to your evil nature!" The man says, a triumphant grin on his face. "I'll have you locked up and executed!"

"Really?" I sneer. My hand sneaks into my robes, gripping my bronze sword. "And how do you plan on doing that? There are no guards around, and you are unarmed."

"Well-"

My free hand snaps forwards, grabbing his collar. I pull his head down until we're nose to nose. "What stops me killing you right now fat man?"

The man's pupils shrink in fear as suddenly realizes his situation. "M-My family will order an investigation-"

"Bodies can be hidden… or burned." I whisper, allowing my eyes to glow with their usual red light. "Investigators can be bribed, and you forget I have the Prince's faith…"

"W-W-Well-"

At this point I pull out my sword, and the man's knees start to shake. "You really should have thought harder about this. Maybe brought a guard or three, or even just a weapon of your own."

"Th-The Prince!" Duke Albenion shouts. "The Prince and the Exalt will order investigations n-not so easily bought out! They will act to defend their court! W-Would you dare act against them to hide my death and risk losing the Prince's favour!?"

Damn this man and his partially intelligent worlds. Chrom _would_ do something like that. I'd have to lug this man's body out of the hallway, which is a challenge. Not only that, but eventually someone would realize that I suspiciously hadn't returned to the barracks until late on the very same night this man was killed.

"Your cleverness just saved your life." I hiss, shoving the man backwards. He scrambles away, tripping over his own robes and clumsy weight. "Watch yourself Duke, if I ever see a chance to dispose of you with no risk to myself, I won't hesitate to take it."

###

A knock on my door, early in the morning. "Robin!"

"Hi Chrom!" I chirp, recognizing the voice. I won't deny his presence is consistently enjoyable to me. I think I'll be genuinely sad if he doesn't agree to join me when I take over the world. I move quickly over to the door and swing it open. "What is it? You look worried."

"I was concerned about you." The Prince says, breathing heavy. Clearly he ran over here. "Duke Albenion has publicly accused you of being Grimleal and threatening his life!"

Took him a few days. I should have threatened him into silence rather than letting him go unscathed. "That's horrible! I've done nothing of the sort!"

"I was worried that you may have left your room already." He pants. "You might want to avoid being alone in public for a little while until we can get to the bottom of this accusation."

"I guess I'll just stick with you then." I hum and smile innocently.

"You seem rather unphased by all this." Chrom notes, finally recovering from his run. He looks and sounds confused.

"Of course not, why would I be scared of some duke?" I giggle girlishly. My real thoughts aren't so far from what I'm saying, albeit with less girlish laughter. "I have you to protect me! And it's not like he's strong enough to hurt me anyways."

The Prince raises an eyebrow. "You think he's going to _attack_ you?"

"Maybe." I shrug. "Or he might send personal soldiers after me. I don't want to kill them, but if I had to fight for my life…"

Chrom seems perturbed. "Robin, you do know if he attacked you he'd be sent to prison, right? If you were to be found dead by the hand of his soldiers or without cause suspicion would instantly be cast on him as well. He _can't_ try to kill you with no good evidence of you being guilty and expect to get away with it."

"Oh, really?" I giggle, trying to recover from my gaffe. "My bad. I'm just worried."

The boy purses his lips. "Right… well you're more than welcome to stay by my side for now if you still want to come to council. Otherwise I'd advise you remain at the barracks today with the other Shepherds."

"I'll come with you." I say, eager to see the reaction of the court. It will be hilarious to see their reaction to me after such a claim. This will be great fun...

###

Chrom is becoming wary of me. That blasted Duke is ruining everything, and I think the 'infallible optimism' charade is starting to wear thin.

Damn this… I need the prince's protection. I can't have him suspicious of me. When he's suspicious he doesn't talk to me as much, and starts refusing my offers to play chess and war of worlds. I'll admit I've started to miss those afternoons spent playing and chatting.

Bah, I've become attached. How foolish of me.

All of this goes through my head as I wade further into battle. My body is on autopilot, these fights are still too easy to warrant my full attention. I shoot lightning and slice with my sword with cold precision as the Risen try to overrun the village we've tasked ourselves to protect.

"Robin!" Stahl's voice calls out from behind me. "We have a new teammate! An Anna! Where do you-"

"West side!" I snap, not looking back. "They lack a healer! Escort her there and continue relaying reports!"

"Right!"

"So cold Milady! You lack your usual radiance today!" Virion notes, shooting down an approaching mage.

I don't respond. I'm in no mood to feign innocence and I don't want to risk slipping up by speaking.

An Entombed stumbles out of the forest, moaning and lurching. That's an advanced Risen, a far cry from the other pathetic zombies around us. I should act worried now, that's what the others will be expecting, but I just _really don't care_.

I fix my eyes on the Entombed, mouth forming into a snarl, and launch a powerful strike of lightning at the monster. It's far from the strongest spell I've ever used, but it's more than a mage of my supposed strength should be able to pull from a mere thunder tome. The monster's slimy form ripples under the strike, it's body lighting up with electricity for a moment, but it continues to lumber forwards with only minimal injury.

"I don't have time for you!" I snarl, pulling my bronze sword off my belt. I stomp forwards, ignoring the cries of the Shepherds behind me. Two Risen barbarians try to lash out from either side, but I remove their heads in one large slash without even turning my head. "I can't be bothered with this fodder, you are a paltry offering. Begone!"

I take a running jump, and viciously slam my sword downwards on the Entombed's head. The weak metal of my weapon shudders under the strain of my strike, and snaps as I wrench it out of the creature's body. The Entombed gives a final moan, not even having the chance to attack before it dissolves into purple mist.

Someone is shouting behind me, but I ignore it. With my broken sword in hand, I set about murdering my way through the Risen hoard. I need some cathartic mass killing…

###

"Robin, we need to talk."

I knew this would come eventually. "What is it Chrom?" I ask, blinking innocently. I know it's not going to fool him, but it can't hurt to try my facade one last time. The two of us are in the strategy room, having just finished a meeting.

The Prince swallows thickly, and gestures towards a pair of chairs. "Can we sit?" He asks, sounding nervous.

"Of course." I chirp, taking a seat at the table. "What do we need to talk about?"

The Prince grimaces. "Look, can you drop that whole act? I know it's not the real you."

My face falls from a cheery smile to a cold stare. "I guess it was bound to get old eventually. Now talk Prince, what do you really want?"

Chrom looks intensely nervous. "It has come to my attention that you may be hiding things from us-"

"No shit?" I sneer. "What gave it away? My fake personality?"

The Prince pushes on despite my attitude. "-and I have my suspicion that you _did_ have a confrontation with Duke Albenion that you are denying for the sake of appearances."

Blast. That was the _one_ thing I was hoping wouldn't come up. "And if I did?"

"He said you threatened to kill him."

"After he threatened to imprison and execute me." I scoff. "So I returned the threat in kind."

Chrom expressions grows dark. "You shouldn't have threatened him, you could have just come to me or Emm."

"An what would _you_ have done if I came to you with such a story?" I accuse. "Nothing! You would have confronted the man, he would have denied it, and you would have done _nothing_. Emmeryn would be even worse, she'd try to foster 'peace' between us." I spit out the word 'peace' with a venom I didn't know I had. "That's even _more_ useless! The only way I could ensure my safety was if he acted first, therefore making _him_ the attacker. Therefore putting the suspicion on _him_ for making an accusation!"

The Prince stares at me owlishly. "That's _very_ political thinking. It's also very dishonest to put off your accusation just to make him look bad."

"It's to my benefit." I snarl, standing up. " _He_ accused _me_ , so I am perfectly justifies in ensuring _he_ looks like the attacker here because he _is_! That's not dishonest, it's strategic justice!"

"But you didn't mention the confrontation at all!" Chrom shouts, getting heated at matching my stand.

"I didn't need to! He already outed himself as an intolerant asshole!" I snap back.

Both of us are nose-to-nose at this point, and we're breathing heavy. I sit back down and push back my chair, glowering at the Prince. He sits as well, slumping down and rubbing his forehead.

We both sit in silence for a minute, mulling our thoughts over. Eventually Chrom breaks the quiet. "Gods… I didn't come here to accuse you Robin. I'm sorry. I just wanted to get you to take off your mask."

Why must you be so likable Chrom? I'm should be killing you right now and escaping, but instead I'm worried about keeping your trust. A _god_ should not want for companionship but here I am…

"Well it's off. I hope you're happy." I growl. "Just what you wanted to see right? A girl feigning amnesia for protection."

"Feigning?"

"I'm not an amnesiac." I growl. "The Duke wasn't exactly wrong, I _am_ Grimleal. I come from another world Chrom."

"Plegia?"

"No, another _world_. An outrealm!" I say. "I am Grima, the fell dragon! I have destroyed one world already, and came to this world in pursuit of those who escaped me!"

"You destroyed a world?" Chrom says, narrowing his eyes. "You've killed people."

"Thousands." I hiss. "All but a few escaped me."

"Why shouldn't I kill you right now?" The Prince asks bluntly, putting one hand on Falchion.

"Because you wouldn't stand a chance." I scoff. "I could kill you in an instant, and even a sword through my chest won't stop me."

"So why don't you?"

"What?"

"Why haven't you killed us all already?"

"Well at first I was too weak." I say. "And I enjoyed the protection you and your Shepherds provided."

"And later?"

"I… was loath to kill you." I admit. "Ruling a world of undead and fearful worshippers is rather dull. Spending time with you was the most entertainment I've had in a long time."

Chrom lapses into silence, and I wait patiently. I don't know what to expect from him, I just admitted to destroying a _world_.

"I just… I…" The Prince says, looking rattled. "Gods above, what am I supposed to say to all this?"

"Screaming in terror is usually an appropriate reaction." I offer dryly. "Though I appreciate your attempt not to."

"You've killed millions…"

"Thousands and millions are two different things Chrom." I scoff. "A good number of people survive in that world, living as my worshippers. I've killed hundreds of thousands, but not millions."

"I'm not sure it matters when the numbers are that high." The Prince mutters. He takes a shuddering breath and leans back in his seat. "You're a god…"

"I've inherited the power of an artificial dragon." I shrug. "Then again if Naga counts as a god I suppose I do too."

"How can I trust you not to kill us all?"

"You really can't." I say bluntly. "Except from what I've already told you."

"Who are the people you're after?" Chrom asks.

"Lucina, or 'Marth' as you'd know her, and her little band of mistits." I sneer. "They escaped here trying to flee from my world, and I followed to finish the job."

"Why?"

"I _hate_ losing."

"You're chasing down a small group of refugees out of _spite_?" Chrom asks in disbelief.

"They tried to kill me…" I pout. "I want to make sure they're gone."

The blue-haired boy stands up shakily, supporting himself with a hand on his chair. "I…"

"Take time Chrom." I offer, also standing. "I just told you something horrifying, and I'm grateful you're even thinking it through."

"R-Right…" The boy mumbles. He doesn't bother to say goodbye, and stumbles out of the tent.

###

I was expecting some change. Anything. I expected Frederick to have been told, and for the man to shoot glares at me. I expected Lissa to know, and to avoid me… but nothing of the sort happened. Life continues as normal, with only Chrom changing his actions.

He talks to me, a lot. I'm not sure if he's trying to understand or trying to rationalize something. A lot of his questions are nonsensical too, like: "how old were you when you received Grima's power?"

"Ten," I tell him.

He also asks other strange questions. "What drove you to take over the world?"

"Father said it was my birthright, and the rush of power made it feel so _easy_ , so _right_." I respond, remembering the moment. "Killing came easy after the first time. It was some fanatic Ylissian soldier, spouting drivel about Plegians being a blight on the world. Taking his head off was a pleasure, not a burden."

"Why did you go to war?"

"Ylisse was a threat to us. Word spread that someone had inherited Grima's power, and the church of Naga was rallying men for a crusade. Father pushed for war, and Gangrel didn't have enough authority to refuse. I, as a master tactician, was put in charge of the war effort."

"Your first war wasn't your own."

"But it was fought for my safety, and leading the conquest of Ferox came naturally after the fall of Ylisse." I murmur. "I started to see everything as a threat to my life. Ylisse tried to make an army, why wouldn't Ferox on learning of Ylisse's fall? Valm will surely try to kill me before I get stronger, I better kill them first."

"Paranoia…" Chrom murmurs. "The hallmark of a dragon."

"I didn't realize it for a long, long time." I say, agreeing. "But that doesn't make me innocent. I still chose to kill those people, fear does not justify the slaughter."

A few more weeks, and I get the question: "When did you start acting like an ancient dragon, and not a young, scared, girl with too much power?"

"Around the point where I started focusing solely on the wars."

###

I have to use my personal tome for this, or they're going to get killed. The Shepherds will get surrounded at this rate if something extreme doesn't happen. It's absurd that such weak Risen are causing them such a hassle.

A part of my mind wonders if it would really be so bad as to let them die. This is a chance to get rid of them at no cost. It would be so easy to just let them die, I don't even have to kill them myself. They'll eventually become strong enough to threaten me, really this would be doing myself a favour…

...but I don't want to let them perish. I've actually become attached to these insects. Where did I go wrong?

With a resigned sigh I pull out my personal tome, ignoring the shouts of people around me. The familiar tingle of fell magic rushes from my fingers to my head: beckoning, calling, promising power. On impulse, I call out the spell's name as I unleash it:

"Expiration!" I roar.

Needles of fell energy erupt from the floor, impaling Risen with extreme force. This is the power I've been holding out on to maintain my charade, and it feels _intoxicating_ to use again. The strength of a _dragon_ at my fingertips!

I start laughing as I slaughter my way through the throng. "This fodder isn't even a challenge! Die, die die!"

In the back of my mind I'm aware of the Shepherds rallying behind me, and starting to push back the hoard now that I'm decimating the majority of it. I also notice Chrom and Frederick pushing up to fight beside me, a dangerous idea seeing as I'm throwing magic almost indiscriminately at this point, but I refrain from murdering them even if it detracts from my fun a bit.

"You see Prince?!" I cackle, annihilating a revenant with a single massive spike. "This is dragon magic! This is what makes me who I am!"

"We're- gah- talking about this later!" Chrom shouts, ducking as an axe flies over his head. "For now focus on staying alive!

"These things can't even _scratch_ me!" I brag. To prove my point I charge up to random Risen, a cavalier, and allow it to swing its lance at me. The metal point smacks my shoulder, doing nothing, and I reach out and snap the wooden shaft. I turn and grin at the shocked Prince. "They're pathetic! You just stay out of the way, I'll kill _all_ of them!"

###

"So…" Chrom coughs, sitting down with a jug of water. I pounce upon the drink and quickly pour myself a glass. All that slaughtering makes a girl thirsty. "Needless to say the Shepherds want an explanation."

"Of course they do." I snort. "Already screaming for my head on a pike?"

"No actually." The Prince mutters. "It's not like they know who you are. They just think their friend suddenly pulled out powerful dark magic."

"Friend huh, I wonder how long that feeling will stick around?" I sneer.

"Do you not consider them friends?" Chrom asks quietly.

"Not really." I say bluntly. "I can't relate to them."

The boy grimaces, but doesn't push the issue. "Anyways, we can deal with that in a minute. First I want to talk to you about that power of yours. I'm worried about the effect is has on you."

"Prince Chrom of Ylisse, worried about the Fell Dragon?" I chuckle.

"I'm worried less about the dragon and more the girl affected by the dragon's power."

"A girl who's killed thousands."

"And yet, despite professing to want to take over the world, you've contentedly sat in our ranks for months, not even bothering to search for Marth like you claimed you wanted to." Chrom mutters. "You could have let us all die a few hours ago, but you _didn't_ , despite it probably being to your benefit to do so."

"What are you getting at Chrom?"

"I don't know." The Prince sighs. "I don't get you Robin."

"Grima."

" _Robin_." The boy repeats firmly. "Maybe I'm foolish to assume that someone with such a reputation can change, but given what you've done so far; helped us, _saved_ us… I can't bring myself to just kill you or treat you as a villain."

I blink, surprised. I figured Chrom was going to let me stay free a while ago, when he didn't immediately throw me in the dungeon I figured he was either scared of pissing off a dragon god or didn't believe me. I never expected this though. He's either a moron, or sees something in me that I don't. Maybe both.

"You know I can't fix what I've done." I say softly. "My world will never be repaired, and I don't feel particularly guilty about it."

"Not yet." Chrom says, staring me right in the eye. "You can clearly empathize, you _care_ about us even if you don't want to admit it. We're going to talk more, you're going to tell me everything, and I'm going to make you human again."

"You're insane."

"No, _you_ are… but I think there's a chance you can be fixed."

* * *

 **So, I sorta have a headcanon on how Awakening works because it's never explained properly. Robin is his world's Grima, and the other version of yourself you fight is** _ **Lucina's**_ **world's Grima. However, the actual dragon body belongs to** _ **this**_ **world's Grima, AKA Robin. So Other!Grima is puppetting This!Grima's body in the endgame.**

 **I also have a headcanon that time travel doesn't actually exist. It's sorta implied by Days of the Future Past, but I think Lucina's "future" is just a universe very similar to the one you play that's about a dozen years ahead. They're not fixing the past so much as they're escaping a dead world and saving another one that's technically not related to them at all.**

 **The whole "Grima's chosen vessel" thing is also strange. Acting under the assumption that reincarnation isn't a thing, that means Robin "becoming Grima" is probably more like them getting possessed because they're particularly receptive to Grima's spirit or having special access to the power of the dead dragon. I chose the second interpretation for this chapter.**

* * *

 **Darkbeast42** **:** I have, but no one would trust them and they wouldn't be tactician if that were the case. And if Robin isn't tactician, they might as well not be there. It wouldn't make for the kind of story I want to tell.

 **Mr. Martin** **:** Vampire Robin has already been suggested by the way, and it's probably going to be given to Male Robin. I do like your suggestion on how they sleep though.

 **Maxis the Mercenary** **:** Alright, I'll mull that over.

 **IcyAltheon** **:** Have to say no to that. That would basically just end up being another version of Supermagic Robin, and it relies on me having a level of knowledge of the series that I don't have. Also, having prior experience in other campaigns doesn't add much to their character here unless I want to throw out references to old games just for the sake of it.

 **Laughing Dog** **:** Sorry, I won't do that. From what I see there, all that enables is random references to older games (which is _not_ the point of this collection) or just boosts Robin's combat capabilities (basically Supermagic Robin). It doesn't really work for this collection, sorry.

 **IsThisWorking** **:** Ah, alright. Most references will go over my head due to my very shallow pool of games played and shows watched.

 **Isquared** **:** Maybe, but I dislike the sorting system of AO3 and not having standard tags. It's too much effort for too little reward. I'll stick to this website.

 **SirHaloFan** **:** The tactician of Say'ri means the tactician of the rebellion… there might be potential there, but it'll be difficult to make a story out of it. I'll note it down, but don't expect anything unless I get some amazing idea on how to tackle it.

 **Lunas-paradox** **:** It's not about the idea being cliched, it's just that being a dancer isn't something I have a way to make interesting. All my ideas just end up being "Robin, but they're basically Olivia" because if they aren't then the dancer aspect is totally irrelevant. Besides, if they're basically Olivia, than the story really isn't about Robin is it?

The suggestion is fine (even if it's been suggested before), I just don't have way to make it work as of now.

 **Slctexcen** **:** It'll be hard coming up with an explanation for that and even then there's not much a reason why I don't just keep Robin young. It also seems like it would turn out rather like Exalted Robin with only minor differences. I do applaud your creativity, but I must say no to the idea.

 **Guest :** So… Really Helpful Servant Robin…? That shoves Robin out of the spotlight and makes it so he inherently has very little interaction with the other members beyond randomly giving out great advice. I don't think this trope will work, sorry.


	23. Vampire Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **Tackling another much-requested idea. Zero kami no mu, Zash101, Guest and Mr. Martin all asked or suggested this in some capacity.**

 **By the way, Grima Robin got a bit of a change to mitigate some of it's problems. It's still not great, but better.**

* * *

Robin just isn't _normal_. That's not to say he's super strange and alien of course, but Lissa certainly thinks there's something off.

He looks sorta unusual for one: jet black hair, snow-white skin, and blood red eyes. The princess actually thinks he looks sorta cool. Handsome too. There isn't one odd thing about him though, it's more like a bunch of small things. He sleeps in really late, usually waking up just before lunch, and his room is always really dark. Lissa usually wakes him up when Chrom is busy because the tactician will sleep until the afternoon if someone doesn't lug him out of bed.

Speaking of his bed, he puts it in a really weird spot. The tactician has a suite at the castle, consisting of a main room, a bedroom, a bathroom, and a study. The very first thing Robin did was take everything out of his study and move it to the bedroom, and then move the bed to the study.

The only reason he gave was "there's no windows in the study." Yeah, like that explains anything.

Lissa assumes his tendency to wake up late is because of his late night walks. The tactician takes one every four days without fail, leaving just around sundown. The only thing that dissades him is a prior engagement, in which case he just walks later than usual.

Lissa is curious as to what's so important about these walks. She asked him directly, and he said "I enjoy the sounds of nighttime." That's a weak excuse, the princess smells something fishy.

That's why she's following him tonight. She's going to find out if this is _really_ just a walk.

Robin is easy to lose in the darkness of dusk. His 'walking cloak' doesn't have the same embroidery his usual longcoat has, instead being straight grey. Lissa herself is wearing a relatively inconspicuous shirt and trousers, and trails a dozen meters behind the tactician as he leaves the castle.

They travel down into the upper-class area of the city. The guards on patrol nod to Robin as he walks past, and raise an eyebrow at seeing Lissa. They don't hassle her though, and instead shake their heads and continue walking.

Robin suddenly takes a turn to the side, ducking into an alley between two fences. Lissa follows tentatively, glancing to the side at the shrubs around her… and when she looks forwards again Robin is gone.

"What?" The princess whispers, blinking. "No way, where'd he go."

A pair of hands land on the girl's shoulders, and Lissa is suddenly very aware that she's a defenseless lady in the middle of an alleyway with no guards around. Someone breathes on her neck, and goosebumps prickle her skin. "Lissandra…"

And suddenly the fear is gone, Lissa knows that voice. "Geeze Robin, you scared me! How'd you know I was following?"

"You are not exactly subtle." The man chuckles, taking his hands off her. She turns to face him, her head only coming up to his collarbone. "It takes more than a decent disguise to be stealthy."

"Hey, I didn't exactly get sneaking practice! I think I did pretty well." Lissa huffs. "I just wanted to see what you actually do on your walks, you never let anyone tag along."

Robin smiles politely. "They're private Lissandra."

"Fine…" The princess sighs. "It's not a problem though, is it? I know Chrom takes nighttime walks when he's feeling stressed sometimes."

"I'm fine, though I appreciate your concern Lissandra." The man murmurs. "Now let's get you back to the castle, I'll bet Frederick has noticed you're missing."

The two Shepherds walk side by side back to the castle, but they walk in silence. Lissa never knows what to talk about with the older boy. He's naturally quiet, and having only a few months of memory his response to most of her questions about him is somewhere along the lines of: "I don't know, I never thought about it."

"Be careful about leaving on your own." Robin tells her as they reach the entrance of the castle. "Unless you know how to fight it isn't safe to be out alone so late." He bows politely, proming the girl to roll her eyes. "Goodnight princess."

Lissa huffs in annoyance as the man walks off. One day she'll figure out what these walks are about-

"Milady! What are you doing out here so late?!" Frederick calls, jogging down the hallway. "I have been searching for you!"

-but it won't be tonight.

###

"Robin!"

"What?" The boy asks sleepily, sitting up in his bed. He yawns slightly, showing off perfectly white teeth. "Lissandra? Is Chrom busy today…?"

"He and Sumia are out in town for the day." The princess giggles. "So yeah, he's busy."

"Hmm…" Robin hums, motioning for her to leave the room for a moment. Lissa does so, and can hear him quickly moving about to get dressed. In a few minutes he's out, standing next to her in his usual longcoat. "I presume you know their exact plans?"

"Yep. They should be going to Madrina's for lunch." Lissa recounts. She overheard Chrom talking to himself yesterday night.

Robin grins, mirroring her impish expression. "Lead the way, all of a sudden I'm feeling peckish for Valmese cuisine."

The two of them travel out into the city, swiftly making their way to the restaurant. Lissa leads, knowing the upper class section of the city better than Robin. As they get closer to their destination the two try to be inconspicuous, they don't know if Chrom and Sumia are already here or if the two will come in a bit later.

"Remember, the best way to avoid drawing attention is to not make eye contact." Robin whispers as they're about to step in the door. His cloak is up, casting a shadow of his face. He never did like sunlight. "If you see them, don't look them in the eye, watch from the corner of yours."

"Got it." Lissa nods eagerly. They step in the restaurant, and the princess asks for a table. She doesn't look around as they're lead to their seats, and only when they have their menus up to block their faces does the girl start searching.

"I see them." Robin whispers, grabbing her attention. "Three tables to your right. Sumia's back is to us."

And there they are, sitting at a table just like Lissa predicted. She watches them for a moment, smirking at Chrom's nervous smile and slightly erratic gestures as he talks. "Looks like Chrom's feeling on edge."

"Wouldn't you?" Robin chuckles, leaning back in his seat.

"Well yeah, but it's still funny." The princess giggles.

They turn their attention off their unwitting targets when the waiter comes to ask orders. Despite just waking up less than an hour ago Robin takes a full meal with lamb as the main dish. Lissa gets something a bit smaller, taking a quail dish with an assortment of cheeses as the entree.

While they do keep an eye on Chrom and Sumia, the two spies also take the time to enjoy their meals. They talk quietly to each, with Robin asking about her studies and Lissa griping about the boredom of etiquette class in response. The tacitican listens intently, nodding his understanding.

"I know the feeling." He says empathetically. "Maribelle tricked me into one of her own devising, and I'm never dealing with that again."

"Lucky you not being a royal." Lissa huffs. "At least you have a choice for the lessons."

"But I don't have servants, a castle, the highest social status possible in the realm, top class education, and more money than I know what to do with." Robin counters.

The princess really can't argue with that. "Okay, fair point." They eat in silence for a moment, and then Lissa speaks again. "You do know I'm paying for this right?"

"You are? Thank gods." The tactician sighs. "I thought this was going to be my pay for the month…"

"You really thought I'd make you waste your money on something _I_ wanted to do?" Lissa scoffs, a bit offended.

"It's considered good manners not to make a lady pay for something." Robin coughs.

The princess rolls her eyes. "Well thanks for playing the gentleman, but I'd feel like an ass making you pay for something on my behalf."

"As you wish Lissandra. By the way, it'd seem your brother has finally noticed us." The tactician murmurs. He raises his drink with a cheeky smile towards the other table, where Chrom is glaring daggers at them from his seat while Sumia leans down to grab a dropped fork.

Lissa waves, grinning broadly at her brother. The man's nostrils flare for a moment, but his face returns to neutrality when Sumia sits back up. Chrom's eyes flick from the girl to Lissa's table, now distracted by the knowledge that his little sister and best friend are watching him.

"Maybe we should leave soon." Robin chuckles, "they're doing fine, we'll just be in the way now that we've been spotted."

"Yeah…" Lissa says. Her mind immediately latches on to a new opportunity. "Say, seeing as we're in town, how'd you feel about a tour? I know you take night walks, but you're usually busy during the day and I don't think anyone's ever shown you around."

Robin gives her a curious look, trying to read her motive. The girl tries her best to look innocent, not giving away her true intent. After a moment the tactician seems to decide he doesn't care all that much what her reasoning is, and nods his agreement. "I would be honored, Lissandra."

###

Robin, just like all the other Shepherds, volunteered for this mission. He wished he'd given it greater thought though, because the trip to Ferox leads them through forests devoid of human life… and Robin needs human life to feed on.

He supposes it is accurate to call him a parasite. He drinks the blood of humanity, giving nothing in return. He didn't choose to be this creature: a vampire stalking the night, drinking the blood of whatever poor drunk crosses his path.

However, this trip will take them nearly a month, with only one stop near the border a week in to resupply. That's two weeks with no company but the other Shepherds, and Robin can only feasibly wait a week before the thirst becomes maddening.

The first week is manageable, if highly uncomfortable. Robin is used to having a meal every four days, and the three extra see him slowly start to lose focus, sometimes staring at those around him or being unable to focus on what he's doing. As soon as they arrive in the village to resupply, Robin takes a quick leave under the excuse of relieving himself.

He acts quickly, locating a lone priest behind the village church. He won't easily find a drunk in the village during the middle of the day, so Robin will have to rely on the innate powers of suggestion every vampire possesses.

The powers aren't very strong though, anyone sufficiently suspicious can shake it off with ease. He doesn't have the time to spend on gaining the priest's trust though, he just has to hope they're not naturally suspicious.

Silently he stalks up behind them, identifying his target as a young girl. She has blonde hair, and that gives him pause for a moment as his thoughts go to Lissandra. However his thirst is overpowering, and his reluctance is swiftly shoved aside.

"Pardon me." He whispers, startling the girl into turning around. Robin gives her a brilliant smile, and bows deeply. "Sorry for to startling you, but I am in need of assistance."

"Th-The head priestess is inside." The girl stammers. Bright blue eyes flick back and forth nervously.

"Of course, but I need _your_ help." Robin emphasises. "I need someone young."

"F-For what?"

"I have a confession I don't feel comfortable telling the older priests. A youthful mistake on my part I want off my chest without their judgement." Robin is making this up on the spot, praying it is enough to put her under hypnosis. Trust, eye contact, and a bit of magic in his voice is all he needs for a bit of memory blocking. "May I confess to you?"

"I… yes." The girl stands upright, determined to do her duty. "What is it you wish to confess?"

"Again, it is private. Lean in…" Robin says, lacing his voice with magic. It's an innocuous suggestion, and the girl does as he says. Once she's sufficiently close Robin opens his mouth, and slowly sinks his teeth into her neck.

A natural poison pumps into her veins, fogging her mind and relaxing her muscles. The girl is passive as Robin takes his fill. She tastes far better than random street drunks, probably due to being in good health. He doesn't take more than he needs though, and pulls back after a moment.

"Thank you Milady." He says, pulling his head way. The girl blinks once, twice, confused at what is happening.

"What…?"

"Your advice was most useful. I'll be sure to follow your words." Robin murmurs. "However, I must be off. My comrades are waiting for me."

The girl is still disoriented, but the suggestion magic and the lingering poison make it easy to convince her that she just took a confession and gave out advice. "Of course, uh, any time. I am glad to help a child of Naga."

Robin gives another bow, smiles, and walks back to the Shepherds. His mind is finally clear, and his focus has returned with the meal. He can't help but worry about the two weeks ahead of him though. There's no stops there to prey on an unsuspecting villager, and he is loath to violate a friend even for his own survival.

###

Lissa is worried, Robin clearly isn't feeling well. He's been breathing heavy for the last few days, fares poorly in training, and can barely hold a conversation without spacing out. His eyes are bloodshot, a nasty distortion of his usual warm red eyes.

"Seriously Robin, are you sleeping alright?" Lissa asks, putting a hand on his forehead to feel for a fever. His skin is cool to the touch, not strange considering the chilled air of the Feroxi wild, but concerning nonetheless.

"I'm fine Lissandra." He says, voice hoarse and quiet. The tactician seems to lack the energy to push her hand away, and picks at the food on his plate. "Sleep has been difficult, but not so much as to render me incompetent."

"Yeah, I doubt that." The princess scoffs. "You look like you could fall over at any second."

"I'm fine." He repeats, and forces himself to take a bite of cheese so he doesn't have to speak further.

Lissa quickly realizes she's not going to get him to reveal what's ailing him. She sits down at the table, chewing on her own food and glaring at the man for the duration of the meal. She needs another plan…

Chrom! Of course! That's who she needs! He's Robin's best friend, surely the tactician will talk to him!

As soon as the princess finishes her meal, she slides over to Chrom's table where he is talking quietly with Frederick. The two look up as she approaches.

"Good morning Lissa." Chrom says, giving her a nod. "You look worried, what is it?"

"Robin." The girl says bluntly.

"Ah… he's still looking rough, isn't he?"

"Yep, and he won't tell me why. So I want _you_ to try talking to him." The blonde-haired princess says. "You're his friend, right? He should talk to you."

Chrom purses his lips. "I suppose, though if he hasn't told you I doubt he'll tell me, but I'll try anyways."

"Good. I don't want him getting himself sick because he won't talk about something." Lissa sighs. "Or maybe it's stress, do you think it's stress?"

"Do not worry yourself too much about him Milady." Frederick says. "If this continues, we can simply _order_ him to tell us the problem. You have given him multiple chances to reveal his issue privately, and he has declined, you've been more than accommodating."

"I hate to say it, but Frederick is right." Chrom sighs. "We'll give him another day; if he doesn't talk or improve _then_ I'll order him to talk."

"Fine…" The girl sighs. "I hope he's okay."

###

Robin knew this would happen but he can't find a way around it. There's no one here that isn't a Shepherd, his only viable targets are friends. The next occupied area, the Longfort, won't be reached for another week.

The tacitican can't hold out for another day, he _needs_ to feed or he'll lose control and fall to impulse, attacking the nearest viable target. That is obviously not an option, so he has to choose which one of his friends to drink from and inevitably lose their friendship forever when they realize he's a bloodsucking monster.

Yay…

He could feed on anyone in the Shepherds and be just fine, but then comes the question of if he should take personal preference into account. Does he go for someone who will keep it quiet, or the person least likely to be traumatized? As much as he is reluctant to entertain the idea, maybe he needs to make use of his suggestion magic.

If he's willing to use magic Lissandra is the obvious choice of target. Getting her alone will be easy, and she already trusts him so it will be easy to _suggest_ that she didn't just get bitten and instead listened to him voice his woes.

"Robin." Chrom's voice interrupts the tacitican's hazy, thirsty thoughts. The tactician forces himself to turn and look at him, ignoring the impulse to lunge and bite. The Prince falls in next to him, keeping up the pace of the march. "We need to talk."

"Now?" Robin asks wearily.

"Now." He says firmly. "You look half dead Robin."

The vampire can't very well tell Chrom that he's _is_ half dead from thirst. "Admittedly I'm not at my best." He rasps. "But I'll be fine Chrom."

"I'd hope so, you've been worrying Lissa for days." The Prince scolds. "Seriously Robin, I don't know what's bothering you but you need to stop letting it affect everyone else. Either talk to someone or shape up."

Robin deflates. "I will."

"You sound like that's a bad thing."

"It is." The tactician whispers. "It's not something I want to reveal."

Chrom's eyes narrow. "Are you planning on courting her?"

"Ga- what?!" Robin sputters, caught very much off guard. "Why would you think that?!"

"Because it seems just like you to drive yourself mad over feeling guilty or something." Chrom says bluntly.

It takes a moment for Robin to figure out what Chrom's seeing, but he understands. From the Prince's perspective Robin looks stressed, not thirsty, and it's not exactly a secret that he and Lissandra spend a decent amount of time together. It makes some sense that Chrom would think the tactician feels guilty or foolish about being attracted to royalty (and Robin _does_ think Lissandra well out of his league) and is stressing himself into illness.

That's not correct, but also not an unreasonable assumption on the Prince's part.

"No, it's not that." Robin mutters. "While thoughts of those sorts have crossed my mind, they are not the issue here."

"Whatever the issue is then, start fixing it. This is going too far Robin."

###

Dinner ends, and the sun starts to fall. Lissa says goodnight to Maribelle, and leaves the noble's tent for her own. She's tired after such a long day.

The princess finds Robin waiting outside the flap. He gives her a pained, tired smile as she approaches. "Lissandra, can we talk?"

"Yes!" The girl says, her exhaustion disappearing for a moment.

"In private, please?" He murmurs, gesturing into her tent. "May I?"

Lissa is both excited and nervous, she doesn't know what to expect of this. It's probably about whatever is bothering him. "Of course! Come inside!"

It only occurred to her a few seconds later that she'd invited a man into her tent at dusk. It was just Robin of course, but the situation still made her nerves tingle.

"So, what's this about?" Lissa asks nervous. "This about what's been bothering you, right?"

"Yes." Robin says, grimacing. "I apologize for doing this to you."

"No need, I'm more than-" A sudden chill, like ice, stamps her neck. She blinks, trying to process what has happened. Robin is no longer standing a few steps away; instead he is directly in front of her, mouth pressed against her neck. His hands are carefully on her arms, and Lissa can feel him holding her up.

The princess' mind starts to grow foggy, and she her legs start to tremble. Be that from the numbness in her veins or just due to nerves she isn't sure.

"R-Robin?" Lissa's voice is slightly slurred. Her hands grip his coat tightly, she doesn't know what to do. "What's going on...?"

The tactician pulls his head away, and the Princess can see the drops of blood on his incisors. Where before he looked exhausted and sick he now looks healthy, like his usual self. His expression, however, is one of immense guilt. "I'm sorry Lissandra."

"Sorry…?" Her mind is still clouded, she struggles to think straight.

"For burdening you with my problems. I wish you did not have to know of my depression."

" _Depression?_ " Lissa thinks, brow furrowing. "No… you…"

"Confessed my problems, thank you for hearing me out."

His voice is so earnest and soothing. Depression, yes, she… she… "No… no, no, no. That's not right. You didn't confess anything."

Robin's eyes widen. The Princess can see a spark of fear in his eyes, fear of _her_ and what she now remembers. Lissa doesn't like that, Robin is a friend, he should never be scared of her.

"You bit me." She says, shaking her head. There's a small ache in her neck as the numbness wears off. "You're a vampire, aren't you?"

"Yes." Robin winces. His hands immediately leave her arms, and he takes a quick step backward. He seems to be cowering from her, and Lissa realizes that his attempt to modify her memory was his _only_ plan. "I truly am sorry Princess Lissandra. Desperation has driven me to something I never wished to do. I can only beg forgiveness."

Lissa is certainly a bit unnerved, but it's more because she didn't get a warning for any of this than out of a feeling of fear. Out of everything she could latch onto though, she chooses the name. "Lissandra was bad enough, you are _not_ going to start calling me Princess! Call me _Lissa_."

"I am not worthy of using such an intimate address." Robin mumbles.

"Don't be ridiculous. You're a close friend." Lissa scoffs.

"But I-"

"-needed to drink or you'd _die_." The Princess says, cutting him off. "That's a perfectly good reason Robin. What were you expecting?"

"A punch in the face, you to run off to Frederick or Chrom, ending our friendship, imprisonment." Robin lists dolefully. "Constant guilt over violating a friend, you having permanent mental trauma, exposing my identity to everyone-"

"Okay, okay, I get it!" Lissa says frantically. "None of that is going to happen! I'm totally fine! You don't need to feel guilty or whatever!"

"I bit you against your will."

"Well yeah, and I'd appreciate a heads up next time and for you to _not_ try and remake my memory, but it's really not a big deal. Like you said, you were desperate."

"But-"

"If the only way for me to live was to break your arm, would you blame me for breaking your arm?"

"No."

"Same deal here. Don't. Worry."

"Okay…" Robin looks defeated. It looks to Lissa like he really wanted to believe he was doing something terrible. Maybe he didn't want to believe he was causing himself so much pain that could have easily been avoided.

"I do have a question though."

"What is it?"

"Does this mean I'll be a vampire too…?"

Robin stares at her. "You went through all that trouble of convincing me I didn't do anything wrong without knowing what my bite actually does?"

"Well yeah." Lissa giggles. "I wanted to make sure you weren't beating yourself up first."

"Turning someone requires magic, so you're in no danger of becoming a vampire." Robin murmurs, feeling sheepish. "The bite just has a harmless poison, a weak numbing sedative that lasts only as long as the feeding does."

"That explains why my head felt so foggy." The Princess says. "Oh, and if you need to feed again don't wait until you're half dead, just ask. I don't like seeing you nearly kill yourself over something like this."

Robin looks nervous. It's a look Lissa has never actually seen on him. "Are you offering your help…?"

" _Yes_ Robin." Lissa sighs, exasperated. "You can nibble on my neck if you need to."

"Please don't phrase it that way Lissandra."

" _Lissa_."

"Right, L-Lissa."

"You should probably tell Chrom about you being a vampire by the way. That way you guys can actually plan around it."

"Yeah…"

* * *

 **If this went on for longer I totally would have delved into romance, but adding a section here wouldn't match the tone of the rest of the story. Still, I think this turned out a lot better than the last chapter.**

 **I found making Robin a reluctant feeder to be somewhat necessary here. If he wasn't, that makes him unabashed about going around biting people.**

 **I did consider having his feeding partner already established at the beginning of the story and turning it into a story about Robin's feelings of inferiority in a relationship with Lissa, but that didn't focus on the actual gimmick so I scraped it. I don't want to make the same mistake I made with Replicate Robin.**

* * *

 **M. ram99** **:** Unfortunately I stick to the rules I made for myself. It ensures the collection is cohesive. After all, these are just snippets meant to inspire others, not full stories in their own right.

 **SquidbaggerOfWoomyAndNgyeness** **:** To each their own. I just don't like the time travel idea because of paradoxes.

 **Zero kami no mu** **:** Yeah… that is problematic, isn't it? I probably made Chrom too lenient here. I don't want to lose his trademark trusting attitude, but I think it needed to be held back here a bit.

 **Laughing Dog** **:** Sorry to shoot you down.

 **Omegazeroinfi** **:** That's a case of a story that just wouldn't make sense unless I'm being meta, and this is intended to make sense in universe. So no.

 **CHPrime** **:** I'll agree that chapter was fairly poorly written in retrospect. While I disagree with a few parts of your review, for the most part you make solid points and I appreciate your help. Thanks for the constructive criticism and the encouragement, I'll try to do better in the future.

 **Bonefish** **:** Controlling weather huh…? That's a decent idea, though I think it'll be challenging to write (not that it doesn't fit, just that I don't know how to tackle it). I'll add it to the list.

 **Dark drow** **:** I won't be visiting it again, at least not in this story. Thanks for your support though!

 **ScorinVoidseeker** **:** I'm not sure how much of a 'reveal' it is. we already knew Grima killed a bunch of people.

In the end I suppose it drifted away from Good Grima because then they basically aren't Grima, and Fake!Robin got altered because I decided 'Grima' was more of a title than an actual person. They still provided inspiration though.

I understand the idea of Dancer!Robin just fine, it's how to incorporate that into a story with them still being Robin. If it focuses on the dancing career, there's no reason not to use Olivia instead. With other ideas I can focus on the quirk and make it unique because no one else has it or I put a unique spin (like Manakete Robin being _the_ Plegian War Dragon). I need to add something _more_ to Dancer!Robin to get it to work, something unique that Olivia can't provide. That's why I can't focus on the career, because Olivia can do that.

I only take the original suggestion so far when I write. This is _my_ story, and while I want to please the crowd to a certain extent doing requests word-for-word narrows what I can do with my _only shot_ at an idea. Sometimes I take inspiration from them, sometimes I don't. Depends on what I can make work.

 **Guest** **:** Assassin Robin will probably be rolled into something else. Bountyhunter Robin is difficult because I have to make sure they still act like _Robin_. I know that's a vague thing to say (because I don't have a better way of putting it), but that just means I'll consider it but it looks difficult. Futuristic Robin is something I've considered for a while now on my own, it's hard to write that sort of character because the story naturally deviates to be about technology and that's a subject I know _nothing_ about. There are other issues too (Why did they come here? Why work with the Shepherds? Do they stay at the end of the story?) that make the idea difficult to deal with in one chapter.

 **Cardgames on Pokemon** **:** Schizophrenia is difficult because it makes Robin naturally unfit for military service. We'll see Multiple Personality Disorder Robin (kinda) down the line, but severe mental illness is a difficult subject to throw into a story about someone in the _military_. They _need_ a certain level of physical and mental functioning that a lot of major disorders don't allow for (and MPD will only work because I'm taking the subject not so seriously and also taking artistic liberty with how it actually functions).

Still, if you have more ideas don't hesitate to throw them in or even try to make a story (even just a one-shot) yourself.


	24. Captain Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **Guest requested Pirate, and Zero kami no mu requested Gunslinger. This takes inspiration from both, albeit she's not exactly a pirate because pirates are bad guys by definition. She's a mercenary ship captain that targets pirates though so she could be considered a pirate pirate (she pirates the pirates so to speak).**

* * *

Chrom doesn't know how long it's been. A month? Three? Five? All the time spent aboard this pirate ship blurs together into one long, dreary, agonizing day spent rowing under the command of some loud asshole who likes to pick on him. The other men are crew, and rotate out every hour. Chrom is a prisoner, the _only_ prisoner, he gets one break for lunch and nothing else.

He remembers, during those moments when his mind is clear enough to do so, the fateful raid on the coast. The Shepherds thought they were ready, they'd prepared defences, but the ballista blew them apart and forced them to scatter. Then the crew stormed out and routed the disorganized Shepherds. Chrom fought to keep his sister unharmed, taking on three men while Stahl got his sister to safety. He was the only one captured, and he later learned there were no deaths on the Shepherds' side.

The Prince of Ylisse suffers the abuse of brigands angry for the death of their friends, but it does not diminish his grim satisfaction knowing the Shepherds did them harm.

Days drag on long as Chrom is forced to row, and row, and row. The only days he doesn't need to are the days when the brigands dock, but even then he only has a day of not rowing before he is transferred a second ship he didn't know the brigands had and forced back to his usual task. Even in that off day he is forced to unload cargo, but at least it gives him a chance to stretch his legs.

Chrom wonders if he'll be ransomed, he has no doubt Emmeryn would pay. Maybe it's taking a while? Maybe these brigands are too stupid to think of it? Maybe he's being sold to the Plegian king and they're negotiating…

Row. Row. Row. Row.

###

Chrom doesn't recognize the sound. A loud bang, like a metal door slamming shut, but there are no metal doors on this ship.

Yelling, lots of it. The brigands manning the oars all scramble to their feet, grabbing axes off their belts. The foreman turns to Chrom, and quickly takes the Prince's manacles off the oar and drags the man down to his cell. Chrom is thrown inside and the door is locked.

The fighting continues for several minutes, and Chrom just sits numbly in his cell. He listens for a familiar voice but hears none. All the shouting is in distinctly Plegian accents. The noticeable banging noise rings out several more times over the course of the fight.

Eventually the shouting stops. Footsteps thunk on the floor above, and eventually someone walks down the stairs.

"Well… ain't this interesting?" A voice, female but blatantly Plegian, chuckles. A woman with a large hat, fancy longcoat, solid leather boots, and an odd metal device in one hand: it looks like a small tube with a crossbow trigger attached to the end. The woman is well-kept with straight long grey hair, unblemished pale skin, and relatively clean clothes. Her sharp blue eyes thoroughly scan him, and Chrom resists the urge to shrink back from her scrutiny. "I bet you were a looker before ya got caught, huh?"

Chrom just stares blankly at the lady as she taps her chin. She suddenly turns on her heels and walks up the stairs again.

"Hey! Any of ya find keys?!" She shouts. "Found us something interesting!"

"Gregor has found them, here go." A male voice chuckles. "What has Captain found?"

"Prisoner. Get some decent food and water will ya?"

The lady walks back downstairs, key ring twirling around her finger. It jingles as she finds the right key and jams it in the lock. She pushes the cell open, and Chrom forces himself to his feet. He's unstable from weakness, but he refuses to fall over now.

"So, what's your name handsome?" She asks, fiddling with his manacles.

"Chrom." The Prince rasps hoarsely. "And you are?"

"Robin. _Captain_ Robin."

"An… honor to meet you." Chrom coughs. "Thank you for your help."

"You speak mighty fancy. Ylissian too." The lady notes. The manacles fall off, and the Prince gently touches his tender wrists. "Noble? Merchant?"

He debates telling her the truth, but realizes how danger it might be to tell a _Plegian_ that he's the prince of Ylisse. "I am son to the Duke of Themis." Chrom says. Maribelle's father is the only duke in Ylisse he really trusts, all the others would try to get a favour out of him for their help. He can also trust the Duke of Themis to catch on quickly and not screw up the deception, that man is no fool.

"Well, that's interesting." The lady chuckles. "Got myself a Ylissian noble. Bet I can get a pretty penny for you."

Chrom's blood chills. "You-"

"Oh don't worry, I ain't sellin ya to Gangrel." Robin snorts. "I'll get ya to safety, but free escorts don't keep us alive. Need some coin to keep us afloat, literally. Repairs aren't cheap."

Ah, right. "That's reasonable enough." Chrom rasps, feeling a bit sheepish at jumping to conclusions.

"Good. Now let's get ya some food and drink."

###

The old man, Gregor, has Falchion. He must have taken it off the body of the head pirate. Chrom wants it back, but…

"Oye, Gregor found sword fair square!" The older man frowns. "Captain is letting Gregor keep it."

"But it's _my_ sword." Chrom insists, starting to lose his patience. "Falchion belongs to me."

"This not falchion, is longsword." Gregor corrects, and Chrom sighs in annoyance.

"No, I mean the _name_ of the sword is Falchion." The Prince explains impatiently. "It's a special blade, blessed by Naga. It is a slayer of dragons."

"Oh, magic sword." The man nods. "So… Gregor not seeing why he should give it to you."

Chrom tries not to swear at the man. "Because it's _mine_. Just because someone stole it from me and you got it after that doesn't make it yours!"

"Heeeey, what's going on in here?" Henry asks, poking his head through the door. He has his usual unconditional smile on his face and a few crows perched on his shoulders. "You guys are loud!"

"Gregor is trying to take _my_ sword!"

"Oye! Captain is giving it to _Gregor_ , not you!"

"Ohh… I smell a fight!" Henry laughs. "Nyahaha, don't kill each other! The Captain won't like that!"

"Like what?" Robin sighs, appearing in the doorway. "What's going on here? Gregor, are you bothering him?"

"Oye! Why Captain assume Gregor at fault?" The man scoffs. "Gregor think Captain just like pretty boy Ylissian."

"Well obviously." Robin snorts, leaning against the doorframe. "But you have a record of starting petty fights for your own amusement. How many bars have you gotten kicked out of again?"

"Ten…"

"Ten…?"

"This year. Much more total."

"My point exactly. Now what's going on?"

"Pretty boy want fancy sword. He think it is falchion, but is clearly longsword."

"Again, the _name_ of the blade is Falchion! I didn't name it, it's a family heirloom!" Chrom growls. "And I'd appreciate having it back."

"Really now…?" Robin smirks. "How interestin'. Can ya prove it?"

"Pardon?"

"Can ya prove the sword is yours?"

Chrom is furious, but he hides it well. "You know very well there is no way to prove such a thing."

"Ya coulda written your name on the hilt."

"Of a family heirloom?" Chrom says dryly, hands clenching into fists. "I do not wish to ruin it."

"Then it looks like you're out of luck." Robin says, still smirking. The Prince grits his teeth, and the Captain laughs. "Well… I suppose if ya can prove ya know how ta fight I might be convinced to let ya take the sword."

Chrom's nostrils flare in annoyance, but he acquiesces. It's better than starting a shouting match. "Fine, I accept."

###

"Gregor will use fancy sword." The mercenary says smugly, pulling Falchion from its sheath. Chrom notes how the hilt and handle are dirty, probably from the brigand who was using it before. Gregor's actual sword, the one on his hip, is well-kept, so he probably hasn't had time to clean Falchion.

Chrom experimentally swings the sword Robin loaned him. It's a standard, but well-made iron sword. The Prince also notes how his muscles ache as he moves. It's been only a few days since they pulled him off the ship, he's still not anywhere near full strength. This fight is incredibly unfair, but Chrom has to try for the sake of Falchion.

"Pretty Ylissian boy is ready?" Gregor asks, smiling confidently.

"Yes, on your mark." Chrom grunts, leveling his sword.

"On _my_ mark." Robin, who's acting as judge, corrects. Henry and Nowi lean forward in excitement while Tharja rolls her eyes and Gaius pops a sweet in his mouth. "Speaking of which… mark!"

Chrom pushes off the deck, forcing speed out of his bruised body. The iron sword is unfamiliar in his hands, having even weight along the whole blade rather than a large weight at the crossguard like Falchion, but still usable enough. The Prince swings hard and fast, knowing full well he can't take an extended fight in his current condition.

Gregor is not a stupid man though. He slips the shield on his shoulder down to his hand, using it as a buckler to block Chrom's swings. The man plays patiently, defensively, not taking risks. He knows Chrom will wear out, all he has to do is wait.

The Prince tries his best to find a way around Gregor's guard. Swinging high, low, to the side, thrusting, chopping, but nothing works. The older man is too smart and too experienced to be tricked. All Chrom's feints do him no good.

The prince is tiring, his movements are slowing. He needs a big breakthrough, and he has one chance to get this right.

"Aether!" Chrom shouts, throwing his sword up high. He jumps after it, grabbing the hilt firmly, and slams down hard on Gregor's location. The older man dives out of the way and the deck splinters under the force of Chrom's blow.

The Prince isn't finished though, Aether is a two part technique. As soon as Chrom hits the ground he spins around and lunges. Gregor brings up his shield in defence, but the momentum of Chrom's lunge lends a strength even Gregor can't block and the shield is rammed into the older man's gut by the brute force of the blow.

That's where Chrom's advantage ends though. Aether totally exhausts him, and Gregor easily shoves him away. The man doesn't look particularly wounded, but laughs and nods. "Pretty boy has some skill! You have Gregor's respect! But I think he is too weak to continue fighting yes? Big attack make him tired."

Chrom grimaces, not wanting to admit Gregor is right. He can't lose this fight, he _needs_ Falchion. "So long as you keep Falchion, I will _not_ give in."

"Oye oye, Gregor respect your strength, but pretty boy being stupid."

"Nyahaha, he's got a point~!" Henry laughs. "Don't let this get bloody!"

"Regardless, I _will_ take Falchion back." Chrom growls. He's well aware that his breathing is heavy and that Gregor isn't even winded, this is still brutally unfair, but he has no choice. Giving up Falchion is _never_ the acceptable choice. "Prepare yourself."

"Yeah no." Robin says, stepping between then. "This is over."

"But-"

"This. Is. Over." Robin repeats, turning to face Chrom. "Stand down."

"No." The Prince responds. His expression is deadly serious. Out of the corner of his eye he can see Gregor sheath Falchion. "I _will_ have Falchion returned to me."

The two stare at each other, Chrom glaring, Robin calm. The lady takes a step forwards, and Chrom instinctively puts the iron sword between them. "Really Chrom? You're going to turn your sword on _me_? The person who freed you?" Robin asks unphased. She actually reaches out a hand and grabs the end of the blade, and slowly lowers the point to the ground. Chrom's hands twitch on the hilt, resisting the urge to swipe at her. This lady is allowing Gregor to take _Chrom's_ sword, in this moment she is the enemy. "Do you trust me?"

"Yes." Chrom admits reluctantly. Robin has been very accommodating, and has yet to ask for anything unreasonable.

"Give me the sword." She says softly.

The Prince stares her down for a moment, nostrils flaring in annoyance. Slowly, reluctantly, he hands her the sword.

"Good." She murmurs, sheathing the blade at her hip. "Gregor!"

"Yes?"

"Give him the sword."

"But you say-"

"That was before I knew it was his, and it obviously is." Robin snorts. "He wouldn't act against us and fight beyond his limits just for any ol' fancy sword. Clearly he got an attachment."

Gregor grumbles and gripes, but hands Chrom the divine sword nonetheless. The Prince instantly feels better having Falchion in his grip. It's dirty and scuffed from lack of care, but comforting nonetheless. "So… you just wanted to see me fight so you could tell if Falchion was mine?"

"Well I was fairly sure it was yours the instant ya told me such, mostly I just wanted to see ya in action." She reaches out and squeezes his bicep, grinning impishly. "I like what I saw."

Chrom doesn't know what to say to that.

###

"Yep, that's a brigand ship." Robin grunts, taking down her spyglass. "Prepare Communication!"

Chrom blinks in confusion as he watches everyone quickly run around the deck. Henry and Tharja pull a tarp off something in the middle of the ship, revealing a truly monstrous ballista. Gregor and Robin grab one of the pointed logs bound in a pile at the side of the ship, and Chrom suddenly realizes what he's looking at.

This ship has a gods damned _log_ _launcher_.

"Cool, isn't it?" Nowi chirps, grinning.

"Indeed…"

"Robin named it 'Communication' because it's how we speak with most of the brigands we come across." The little girl giggles. "We try not to sink with the first shot though or we can't loot them, we just want to cause chaos."

"Pirating the pirates." Chrom mutters. "What do you do with the loot?"

"We drop it off at the nearest town and take a reward." Nowi hums. "Usually just some gold, but it's enough to get by."

"Hmm…"

The log is loaded onto the machine, and the crew quickly moves to the crank and turns it with their combined force to draw back the powerful string. With the string fully drawn Robin takes control of the machine, carefully aiming it towards the opposing ship.

The brigands have clearly noticed them by this point, and their ship makes a slow turn to face them. People scramble across the deck, manning the ballistae. Robin and crew are unphased, and carefully aim the log launcher.

"And… release!" Robin shouts. The launcher's string snaps forwards, throwing the log far in the air. The wood sails over the water, and comes crashing down on the opposing ship. The deck breaks under the impact, and the log goes right down to the lower levels. The enemy ship rocks under the impact, and Robin grins in satisfaction. "Checkmate. Alright crew, let's do this!"

Their ship lurches forwards as Nowi unfurls the sails. Her tiny body is surprisingly strong, and she pulls around the ropes without too much difficulty. Chrom would help, but he knows nothing about the workings of a ship.

"Henry, Tharja, prepare to shoot! Aim for the mast! I want that thing dead in the water!" Robin shouts, pulling the strange metal device from her belt and pops open the back, revealing a small disk with eight small holes. She loads dark powder into each hole followed by little metal balls and snaps it closed. "Me and Nowi will deal with the archers! Gregor, prepare the grapples! Gaius, keep us on course!"

"And me?" Chrom asks, one hand on Falchion. Robin pauses, looking him up and down.

"You good enough to fight?" It's been two weeks, and the Prince certainly isn't at his best. But some training duels against Gregor have shown that he's at least capable of holding his own now. "If you think so, help Gregor. You're the frontline when we board."

"Understood." Chrom grunts, moving over to help the older man with the grappling hooks.

A few ballistae bolts find their way to Robin's ship, smashing into armor belt just above water level. The Captain in unphased, and as soon as they're close enough the girl levels her strange tool and presses the trigger. A loud "bang!" rings through the air followed by the smell of coal. Chrom doesn't know what that weapon is, but it certainly makes a racket.

The other point of interest is Nowi, who grabs a small stone around her neck and suddenly transforms into a dragon. She roars once, blue fire trickling from her mouth, before launching a ball of flame at the opposing ship.

The mages both channel their spells, Tharja using fire and Henry using dark magic. They do as they're told, and aim for the mast. Fire and darkness fly towards their target, exploding on contact. The wood cracks and the mast tilts slightly to one side.

"Arrows incoming!" Gaius shouts in warning.

Chrom and Gregor huddle against the prow, which sticks upwards to provide a small wall at the front. Nowi shields the others, wrapping her wings around them and taking the arrows herself. It clearly pains her, but Nowi's scales provide good protection.

"Return fire! That mast isn't down yet!" Robin shouts as Nowi releases them temporarily. Her weapon roars again, shooting an unfortunate brigand in the head. Nowi joins Tharja and Henry in targeting the mast, and their combined firepower shatters the wooden structure and sends it crashing across the deck and into the water. Ropes snap and the boat lists to one side, barely moving without the help of the wind. "Gaius, get us alongside! Everyone else, prepare to board!"

Boarding goes relatively quickly. Robin's crew launch grappling hooks over the railings of the opposing ship once Gaius pulls them alongside, and Chrom and Gregor lead the assault. Robin's weapon roars loudly over the din of combat, and Henry and Tharja's magic wreak havoc in the small space of the deck. Gaius joins in the fight too now that neither ship is moving and hurls daggers from a distance. Nowi is a terror and easily smashes through brigands' ranks with her draconic strength.

Now that they're in close quarters, the fight is brutally one-sided. With mages and a dragon on their side Robin's crew easily murder their way through the brigands, cleaning out the ship in a matter of minutes. All that's left after that is drag the loot to their ship, and they sink the enemy with Communication as they sail away.

###

It's been two months, and Chrom is starting to adapt to sea life. Boredom is omnipresent, as chores don't take up nearly as much time as one might expect. In fact, chores are welcome just to have something to do. The only frequent activity is adjusting the sails and checking the charts, and even those only have to be done a once an hour or so.

The occasional stops at villages one every few weeks are welcome distractions, even if they're Plegian. Robin handles business, dumping off the spoils of bandit takedowns and taking rewards along the way. It turns out there's a system in place to deal with these sorts of occurrences where the Crown reimburses villages for providing rewards to mercenaries. The villages don't lose money, and the mercenaries get rewarded for doing good deeds or providing resources.

From the villagers Chrom hears whispers of war with Ylisse; apparently Gangrel has been blamed for the Prince's disappearance and it's creating even more tension among the two countries.

During time at sea Chrom finds his most reliable distraction comes in the form of Robin, who's almost always up to chat. Over the course of the trip Chrom learns about how she got her handgonne, training in tactics, and how she came about working with such a colourful crew. They also spend a decent amount of time playing chess (though Robin admits she'd prefer War of Worlds, but the rocking of the ship makes that a bad idea. The chess set even has little grooves in the squares to hold the pieces, perfect for playing on a boat).

Robin asks a lot about him too, and Chrom tells her about the Shepherds while carefully omitting any mention of his status as Prince. He regales her with the tales of Lissa's pranks or Vaike idiotic ideas, and fondly reminesses how he actually misses Frederick's fanaticism.

"Well you'll get to see em' soon enough." Robin chuckles. "We're almost to Ylisse, one month to go."

"And then we part ways." Chrom murmurs, smiling a bit. "I think I'll end up missing you all. You remind me so much of the Shepherds, I think you'd fit right in."

"Sure, if racial prejudice don't get in the way." The Captain snorts. "I doubt I'll get to meet em' though, it's low chances they'll be at the exact dock we drop ya off."

"True…" Chrom sighs. "Who knows though, perhaps our jobs will let us meet again."

"Maybe. That would be a treat." Robin chuckles. She snakes a hand out, lightly tapping his face. "Be a shame to never see this handsome mug again."

"Did you only free me because you thought I was cute?"

"Maybe." The lady grins. "Shoulda dragged ya into bed, make for a good story."

"Saving a Ylissian noble isn't enough?" Chrom snorts.

"It is. But imagine how much more I could brag! I saved this guy's life, got my cash, _and_ got some action on the way!"

The Prince rolls his eyes to the ceiling, trying not to smile in amusement. "I think Gregor has rubbed off on you."

"Hey, all his stories are half lies! He never got with any duchess! I'd at least be tellin' the truth!"

###

"Well, here we are." Robin mutters as Gaius steers them into port. "Saltridge city…"

"Looks pretty normal to me." Henry chirps, dangling his legs over the side of the ship. "I was expecting flashy lights and weird Naga priests yelling in the streets."

"Ylisse is not quite so outlandish." Chrom chuckles. "It's good to be back."

"Those dockhands are waving us over Captain." Gaius calls. "They have guards."

"That's fine, follow along." Robin says, waving him off. "We're not here to cause trouble after all."

The anchor drops and the boarding plank is lowered. The officials and guards stomp onboard. "Alright Plegians, what business do you have here?" The man in charge asks, glaring suspiciously.

"We're just here to resupply and drop someone off." Robin says calmly, gesturing to Chrom.

The official purses his lips, stops, stares, and hastily drops into a bow. "M-My Prince! I apologize, I did not realize these men were working with yourself!"

Nowi's head snaps around. "Prince?"

"Yes, erm…" Chrom coughs, well aware of how Robin and crew are staring at him. He decides to avoid this awkward conversation for now and focuses on the official. "Robin and her crew rescued me from the clutches of bandits and agreed to return me home. See that they are treated with appropriate respect."

"O-Of course Milord!"

"I'll see to your reward." The Prince informs Robin quickly. "Uh… it might take a bit of time though. It will come out of my personal wealth, so it has to be transported from Ylisstol."

"Right, right." The lady nods, smirking. "I presume you're paying for our stay here then if you're making us wait?"

Chrom nods. "Of course I am."

Robin blinks. "Uh, I was kiddin' Chrom."

"I know, but I'm not." The Prince says firmly.

Chrom also promises to pay the docking fee, and leads Robin and her crew into the city. People react immediately to seeing them, Chrom's brand being very recognizable. Citizens bow and nod their head to the Prince, followed immediately by shock or at seeing the obviously Plegian crew following behind him. Eyes mostly go to the dark mages who haven't bothered to disguise themselves and Nowi who looks like a twelve year-old in a skimpy outfit.

The first thing Chrom does is fine the messenger service, sending a message to Ylisstol ordering a few hundred gold to be transported to Saltridge as soon as possible.

They all find a tavern for lunch, and sit down. An awkward silence permeates the air after the food is ordered, and eventually Henry breaks it. "So, a Prince? Does that mean you see a lot of executions, are they bloody!?"

"No, I don't see many executions." Chrom grunts. "They're unpleasant at best."

"Aww…"

"So why the lie…?" Tharja asks, staring with a crafted (and probably fake) indifference.

"I didn't want you to think I was too important or you might consider ransoming me more profitable than just returning me to Ylisse." The Prince sighs. "And after I realized you were honorable I had already established the lie…"

"Gregor is understanding. Plegia and Ylisse not get along so well, pretty boy was being smart." The older mercenary grunts.

"It's so cool! Do you live in a castle?! Do you have lots of pets!? Do you get to eat good food all the time?!" Nowi gasps now that the ice is broken. "I have a million questions!"

Chrom is relieved when the food comes to interrupt the excitable girl's stream of questions. It also gives him time to think about exactly what his plan is. The Prince doesn't want to lose contact with these people, he's grown fond of them. Maybe he can hire them, they're mercenaries after all...

###

"Hire us? For what?" Robin asks curiously.

"To help deal with out bandit problem." Chrom says. "Ylisse doesn't exactly have the best military, so we could use all the help we can get. I can give you a flat rate on top of a reward for every camp or ship you exterminate."

"So we get paid for being on call _and_ for actually taking out pirates." Robin mutters, tapping her chin. A smile quirks on her mouth. "That's a generous deal Chrom, ya that desperate to keep us around?"

"Yes." The prince admits sheepishly. "My offer is not purely selfish though, Ylisse _does_ need help. I'm not lying."

"What, your pegasus knights not enough?"

"Our military is nonexistent." Chrom says bluntly. "The pegasus knights are already spread thin. If you can guard even a small section of the coast you'd be a massive help."

"Well, assuming your flat rate in anywhere near decent that's a far more stable living than we'd ever get hunting in Plegia." Robin laughs. She extends a hand, which Chrom shakes. "Ya got yourself a deal Prince. I guess we _will_ be seeing more o' each other in the future!"

* * *

 **Took a few tries to get the first section right. The rest of the story flowed easily after that. Gunslinger ended up being secondary to Pirate, but that's unsurprising considering how minor having a gun actually is for a story. It's basically just a fancy crossbow.**

* * *

 **Zero kami no mu** **:** I didn't bother to look into vampire lore for that chapter, and just went with whatever seemed to fit the best. Black magic for the vampire transformation rather than a random stipulation on the bite seemed fitting for their status as a sorta undead species. It also helped explain why vampires don't run rampant if all they have to do is bite someone within a certain category.

 **SquidbaggerOfWoomyAndNgyesness** **:** Too confusing and paradoxical, maybe, I don't understand this one, no, Servant Robin maybe, and this one can already be applied to Grimleal Robin.

 **Guest** **:** Banshee and bard. Noted. Thanks for the suggestions.

 **IsThisWorking** **:** Might change the specifics around there, and that frankly sounds like a complicated idea to try and fit into one chapter. I like it though.

 **SirHaloFan** **:** I'm going to say no to Einherjar just because I know so little about the past games and can't write those characters. I might be able to base it on a character, yes, but that's going to depend very much on which one we're talking about, and the powers are invariably going to need to be changed slightly to fit the Fire Emblem universe (if they fit at all).

 **Agent of Chaos 112** **:** I suppose the Chapter accomplished what I wanted: an exploration of personality or a unique situation, preferably both. In this case it was just a unique situation, but it showcased how such a quirk would affect interactions and dealt with a part of the story made interesting by that quirk (how Robin would get recruited). I consider it a success, albeit a moderate one.

Still, it could have been better, and I appreciate your constructive criticism. You _do_ make decent points (I disagree with some, but I'm also biased towards my own work). Thanks for the feedback! I hope to keep hearing from you.


	25. Spy Robin

**Disclaimer** **:** **I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **Inspired by Thief Robin as requested by Rotciv557 (though this Spy Robin and not Thief Robin, but being a thief really made no sense for any version of Robin's character so I took the closest thing).**

* * *

"Gaius."

"I still can't find an opening…"

"I need your help."

"Eh- sure, what is it Bubbles?" The thief's voice is slightly distorted by the magic earrings they're using to communicate.

"I need a distraction." The midnight-blue haired tactician whispers, mindful of the guards around. It's the middle of the night, and Robin is on the inside of the wall while Gaius is outside. Robin got in by grappling over a section of the front wall, Gaius still can't find an opening to get in the back.

"Where?"

"East side, second spire. There's a balcony window with the lights off, I think that's my entry point."

"Got it. Give me a few minutes."

Robin sits silently in his bush as he waits for his partner in crime. The Ylissian Royal Palace has so many bushes and trees in the main yard it's like they're _inviting_ him in. His mission is rather simple: map out the interior of the castle and find out the schedule of as many people as possible in preparation for Validar's attack.

"I'm in position Bubbles. You ready?"

Robin's pull out his grapple crossbow, preparing to shoot for the balcony. "Ready."

Nothing for a few seconds… and then shouts. He's not sure what Gaius did, but Robin imagine he probably threw a dagger or something. It's not nearly as risky as it sounds, he and Gaius have a pre-planned escape route after all.

The patrols move to the walls, but Robin also knows it's temporary. They won't leave the yard unguarded for long. He raises his crossbow, aims carefully, and fires. The grapple and rope shoot high, catching the railing of the balcony.

Success, but he only has a moment. Robin ties the end of the rope around his waist so it doesn't fall and starts pulling himself up. The railing shakes a bit under his weight, which worries him, but he's relatively light so this _should_ be fine.

He pads up the wall as quickly as he can. As soon as he's at the halfway point he slows down even more. Robin knows he's safe now, people seldom tend to look up. His boots grip the stone wall and he climbs methodically. Step, pull, step, pull…

It takes only about three minutes to climb to the balcony. Robin carefully puts the rope away and places the grapple crossbow onto his back. He dusts himself off, smirking at a job well done, and turns to enter the darkened room.

He finds someone staring back at him. A girl with pale brown hair, holding a book and a candle, blinks in surprise at seeing him climb up onto the balcony. Robin's mind races, what does he do now? He's been discovered!

Wait, she's not a guard. Maybe he can convince her to stay quiet. Yes, that's it, Robin will bribe her… except that the window is locked.

" _Just talk, buy time_." Robin thinks. "Err… hello!"

"Hi?" The lady squeaks nervously, eyes darting side to side. She clenches the book nervously. "Wh-Who are you?"

"I'm uh…" Robin's mind darts rapidly. She hasn't instantly gone for a guard, which is good. Why though. "My name is... Gayle."

"Gayle…"

"And who are you Milady?" Robin asks as charmingly as possible. He gives her a roguish grin (or at least he _hopes_ it's roguish, he's seen Gaius do it before). "Can I have the _pleasure_ of your name?"

"S-Sumia."

"How lovely… _Sumia_." Robin says, pretending to test out the name. He feels like a moron being so over-dramatic but it seems to be working for whatever reason. Maybe this girl is a bit of a romantic. "It rolls well off the tongue."

Sumia flusters a bit, and her feet tap on the floor nervously. "Th-Thank you."

This is going inordinately well, Robin leans against the glass and tries to press his advantage. "Would you mind letting me in, my beautiful Sumia?"

"L-Let you in?" She stammers, blushing madly. "Ohh… I don't know if I should." It's phrased like reservation, but her tone is one of excitement. "I really don't know you."

" _Yeah, and I just climbed up the wall too_." Robin thinks, trying not to roll his eyes. "Well you're not going to get to know me more with a wall between us my Dear." Is he laying it on too thick? He feels like he is. There's no way he, the weedy tactician and thief, is actually wooing someone successfully. His experience with women is limited to his sister and _Tharja_. This should not be working.

Robin is flabbergasted when the lady actually puts down her book and her candle on a small table, and unlocks the window. He steps inside tentatively, this isn't how he expected the get in the castle. Sumia steps right up to him, and the boy quickly pulls himself upright, trying to keep up his suave facade.

The lady puts her hands on either side of his face, and the tactician freezes. He doesn't know what this means, what is he supposed to do? "It's…" Sumia sighs, rubbing his cheek. "It's a shame this is a dream."

He blinks once, twice. A dream…? Actually, that's a perfect excuse. What are the odds of her actually coming face to face with a dashing, roguish man grappling up the castle wall? Well, maybe that would be more accurate if he were Gaius, but Robin would like to think he's at least decently attractive. "A dream? Perhaps you should wake then."

"I don't want to though." She murmurs. "But I suppose I should."

"Indeed. I'm sure you have a book to finish reading, don't you?" I say, nodding towards her book on the table.

"Right..." Sumia says with a dreamy smile. "I can't wait to know what happens to Lila and David."

"Exactly." I say. "Now go on, lie down."

"Alright." She sighs. To Robin's shock, the lady leans forward and kisses him. "I'll miss you Gayle."

Robin has never felt so flustered in his life, but he holds back his discomfort at this whole facade. "Nonsense Dear, this is a dream. You can see me whenever you want, you just have to close your eyes."

This melodrama is absurd to the tactician, but Sumia nods. "Alright." She sits down on the couch, where Robin now notices a large number of pillows and several books. It seems she was occupied with reading. "See you tomorrow night."

"Enjoy your day Dear." Robin whispers. He reaches out and pushes her eyes closed, and the lady happily curls into her pillows.

The tactician waits a minute, and eventually sighs in relief when he notices her breathing deepen and her muscles slacken. She's asleep. Robin blows out the candle she placed on the table, and creeps further into the castle…

###

"Good morning Cordy…"

"Sumia, did you fall asleep in the library again?"

"Yeah, but I had a fantastic dream!"

"Really?"

"There was this man called Gayle, he came through the window into my arms… he was so _dashing_."

"I think you're just reading too much smu-"

"- _Romance_!"

"Right, _romance…_ "

###

Sumia takes to reading late in the library after her lovely dream. She spends the time she isn't training on the same couch curled up with her books. The book she was reading when she had her dream, "A Duchess' Favour", is long since finished, but the pegasus knight has an extensive backlog of titles she's been meaning to finish so she's not at a loss for content.

She falls asleep in that couch night after night for a full week, but Gayle never graces her with his presence. Sumia takes to reading on the balcony itself, though she returns inside to sleep in the couch… usually.

After that week of sleeping on the couch, she accidentally falls asleep outside on the chair. She wakes an unknown amount of time later that night to the feeling of arms carrying her inside. Sumia takes care to feign sleep, but cracks open an eye to see the person carrying her.

Gayle. The man from her dream. He gently puts her down on the couch before returning back to the balcony to grab her books and candles. She watches silently as he places her stuff on a table, pulls a blanket up to her chin, and leans down to give her a single kiss on the forehead.

He doesn't have the same cocky, dashing grin he had on before. Gayle seems nervous, gentle, tender almost.

Sumia also realizes that this isn't a dream. This is an actual person. An actual person that climbed the castle wall and came in through the balcony. An intruder. Oh dear, oh dear, what should she do? What is he doing here? She let him in last week! Oh gods…

"Reading again Sumia?" The man chuckles quietly, and musses her hair a bit. "Well, at least you're getting proper sleep." Gayle reluctantly turns his back to her and walks towards the library entrance, slipping out silently into the hallway beyond.

Sumia lies on the couch, gripped with indecision. It's hard to admit that she has to alert the guards and turn him in, because she _likes_ the man despite not knowing him. However, her sense of duty is stronger than her base attraction, so she reluctantly rises out of her seat and moves to the hallway to find a guard.

###

"Greetings." An elegant lady says politely, sitting down at the table in front of Robin. The tactician watches her impassively, though in truth he is very unnerved to be speaking to Exalt Emmeryn herself. The knight glaring at him over her shoulder is somewhat intimidating too, but Robin is aware that the man won't do anything without being ordered too, so the tactician mostly ignores the knight. "I am Exalt Emmeryn of Ylisse, may I ask for your name?"

"Robin Underfell, special operations in the Plegian Army, twenty-first of march 1004." The tactician responds curtly.

Emmeryn recognizes the standard capture procedure Robin is following: name, general rank, date of birth. As per his training that's all he's allowed to give her. This is obviously a problem, as the Exalt can't negotiate if the other party isn't willing to converse. "Nice to meet you Robin. I hope your stay has not been too uncomfortable?"

The tactician remains silent. The cell he was given is equivalent to the cell of a normal thief, which is to say basic but clean. If he were a murderer or a rapist,he would have gotten one of the moldy lower cells. It's still not comfortable though, the cell is still made of stone and the bed is threadbare.

"My apologies for such measures, I know you are simply doing your job, but we have protocols of our own to follow." The Exalt continues. Robin is almost positive she's lying, there's no reason for her to apologize for capturing an enemy spy. "Even so, I wish to converse with you. Perhaps we can come to understand one another."

Perhaps, but Robin trusts the Exalt very little and he doubts she trusts him either. Lying is easy after all. "Under Plegian law I cannot converse further than giving you what information I already have… however laws are often flawed. Still, why should I talk with you at all?"

"Because I wish for peace, and I think you can help me." The lady says honestly. "I know very little about Plegia beyond superstition and rumor, and I cannot effectively negotiate without some understanding of Plegia's position."

This makes sense to Robin, but there's still a problem. "You're asking me to divulge information about my country."

The Exalt sighs. "Unfortunately yes. I do not require exact details, but I am asking you to give me information on Plegia."

Robin's orders tell him not to say anything, common sense is drawing a blank, but the tactician's logic sees the benefit in cooperating… under the presumption that Emmeryn is being truthful right now. While his father may push for war, Robin would much prefer peace. The tactician _needs_ confirmation that the Exalt is truthful though. "Prove yourself."

"Pardon?"

"Prove you're telling the truth. I can't say anything until then."

The knight in the corner seems agitated at Robin's words, but Emmeryn is calm. "How?"

"I don't know." Robin admits. "But I can't trust you blindly."

"I see. How about an exchange then? I will have you moved to a proper guest room if you will offer me something in return."

"What?"

"You may choose."

Robin broods for a moment, considering the question. Eventually though, he makes his offer. "You said you know nothing about Plegia, so I'll offer information on the major powers in the country."

"Deal." Emmeryn says, offering her hand. The tactician hesitates, still distrustful, but shakes and seals his status as traitor.

###

"You have a guest today Plegian." The knight growls, stepping inside the room. His metal boots creak against the wood of the floor as he takes up a position just inside the door. Robin stands up from the chair at his desk where he was writing and turns to face the entrance.

A familiar lady with pale brown hair steps inside, and smiles nervously at the tactician. "H-Hello again. It's actually Robin, right? I'm Sumia, though you already know that…"

"Yes, I do. I remember." Robin says cautiously. He consciously remains expressionless, trying to determine what reaction is appropriate here. "I hope you enjoyed the book you were reading, seeing as you stayed up so late to continue it."

"Oh! Yes, uh, it was _amazing_." Sumia giggles "I've moved on since then, but it was a good book."

"You would recommend it?"

"To certain people…" She says with a smile. "Depends on taste."

That's evasive, Robin assumes it must be a niche book. "Fair answer. Eye of the beholder and such."

"So, uh, anyways… I have a question if you don't mind." Sumia smiles nervously. "That first night…?"

"Total improvisation." Robin admits bluntly, and a bit sheepishly. "You caught me off guard. I had to stop you going off and getting guards. The other option was to kill you, and I'm generally not a fan of killing innocents."

"Oh, uh, well, thank you." The girl blinks, a bit off-put and visibly disheartened. "It was a facade though...?"

"Mostly." The tactician says, his mind racing. Why is she sad? "I'll admit it was enjoyable, even if I was out of my element. I have a friend I was trying to emulate."

"Really?"

"Oh yes, Gaius is a smooth one." Robin snorts. "Though he's usually just trying to steal a girl's candy and the flirting is an afterthought."

"Candy?"

"He's addicted to sugar."

"Ah…" Sumia says with a smile. "He sounds interesting."

"That's one word to use. _I_ would call him childish." Robin snorts. "Reliable teammate though, despite his tendencies."

"I'd love to meet him."

"Well… considering that meeting you got me captured, I doubt he'll be too keen on that. Plus, I'm sorta stuck in this room." Robin coughs.

"Ah, right. I'm really sorry about that by the way, but I had to!" Sumia squeaks.

"Oh I know, I don't blame you." The tactician responds, waving her off. "You were doing your duty, just as I was."

"Right, yes, so anyways I have something for you." She says nervously, and holds out a book.

"Wyvern Wars: Terror at High Noon?" Robin says, accepting the book. His brow scrunches up in confusion.

"I thought you might not have anything to do while you're here, and since you were nice to me and all that and didn't hurt anyone, I figured I'd give you something." The girl rambles. "I-I got permission from Emmeryn of course."

Robin blinks. A gift. "Oh, well thank you."

The stifling awkwardness continues until Sumia stammers out a goodby and scurries from the room. The knight, still glaring, follows her out and locks the door behind him. Robin stares blankly at the book for a minute, takes a deep breath, and sits down to read.

###

"My name is Chrom." The Prince says, extending a hand. Robin shakes tentatively. "I understand you'll be guiding us today?"

"Yes, I am." The tactician says nervously. It's been two months since his capture, and the Exalt is already letting him outside the castle to help weed out the Grimleal cults in Ylisstol's underworld. "We're just waiting on my teammate to arrive, he should have identified where we can hit first."

"And by teammate, you mean the man that was causing a ruckus outside the walls two months ago." Frederick, the grouchy knight from before, growls.

"Well of course, it's not easy to break into a castle like this on your own." Robin says calmly. At this point he's plenty used to ignoring the knight. He taps his earing, and speaks aloud. "Gaius, you almost here?"

"Yeah yeah, hold your horses Bubbles." The thief grunts back. "I'm just around the corner."

Just as he says so, Gaius comes wandering around the corner. He stands out in the elegant upper city dressed in leather and cheap cottons, and the other people walking the streets give him a wide berth. Frederick wrinkles his nose upon seeing the man, Robin just chuckles and shakes his head.

"You have the information I asked for?" The tactician says in place of a greeting. He tosses the thief a small pouch, which the man immediately opens.

"Of course I do Bubbles." Gaius chuckles. The orange-haired thief pops one of the candies from the pouch into his mouth, humming happily. "I'm surprised how many cultists there are here, but a lot of them are just doing it for kicks. There's a lot of teenagers, and they're probably just doing it to be rebellious. The serious cults are a bit more well-hidden, but I've weeded out a few we can tackle."

###

"I've brought another I think you might like." Sumia says, placing another book on the desk. "It's a story about about a man torn between two loyalties, and how his choice affects the world around him!"

"Thank you Sumia." Robin chuckles. "You do realize I'm not stuck in my room anymore, right? I can go to the library myself."

"Well of course you could, but I like bringing you the books myself." The lady smiles nervously. She wonders absently if it would be too forwards to admit she brings him books just as an excuse to visit. "By the way, how's you like the last one? _Recette and Tear: From Rags to Riches_?"

"It was surprisingly good." Robin admits. "The premise is a bit basic, but the characters are the main draw of the story anyways so it works well."

"Who was your favourite?" Sumia asks eagerly. "I liked Tielle."

"I'm as a fan of Louie myself, though Recette is a solid character as well." The tactician says.

The two chat for a few minutes, but Robin has work to do and Sumia has practice. They agree to talk later, and the lady leaves. The tactician stares at his door for a minute, waiting for the nervous bubbling in his stomach to die down, and returns to his paperwork.

###

"I never thought we'd be doing this Bubbles." Gaius grimaces. "Fightin' our own country."

"For the greater good." Robin murmurs. "But yes, I would not have imagined it myself. It is still strange to realize that Grimleal are far more insane than I believed for all those years."

"Also weird to think Gangrel is a maniac." Gaius sighs. "Damn shame, he told good jokes."

"Indeed."

"You two are alright?" Chrom asks, stepping up to them. The two Plegians are standing on top a dune at Plegia's borders. "I know this must be harder on you than the rest of us."

"It's an unpleasant necessity." Robin says calmly. One hand subconsciously grips the crossbow on his back, taking reassurance in the familiar weapon. "I just hope to avoid as much collateral damage as possible."

"I don't like this Blue, but I joined up for a reason." Gaius admits reluctantly. "Things need to get done though, and if I can help peace along I will."

"And I thank you for that." Chrom says earnestly. "Both of you have been very helpful, we couldn't do without your knowledge Robin, or your _underworldly_ skills Gaius."

"We do what we have to." Robin grimaces.

"Do your job and we'll do ours Blue." Gaius sighs.

"Of course. I'll make your trust worthwhile." The Prince says firmly. He pats them on the shoulder once each, and walks back to camp.

Robin looks after him, sighing audibly. "I don't like this."

"Yeah, but it ain't all bad." Gaius chuckles. "You've had a fancy little romance with that noble girl."

"It's not a romance, that was me making things up during infiltration, we just talk about books now." Robin denies.

"Whatever you say Bubbles." Gaius snorts, rolling his eyes. "Either way, these people ain't so bad. Not home, but not bad."

"I don't think that was ever in question."

"Sure it was, you said you didn't like this." The thief reminds him.

"I was talking about the situation, not our teammates."

"Yeah, whatever. I just hope we can get Tharja and Henry on our side. I wouldn't want them getting hurt in all this mess."

"You just want Henry around so his crows can help you steal candy again."

"Maybe. You miss them too though."

"Yeah, I do…"

"Robin, Gaius!" A clear voice calls. Sumia waves from the bottom of the sand dune. "We're leaving in ten minutes!"

"We'll be ready! Thank you Sumia!" Robin calls back, and waves his own arm in response. Gaius watches with amusement as the girl shoots a number of glances at his friend as she walks away.

Just book buddies. Yep. Totally. The thief is starting to think getting caught was one of the best things that ever happened to Robin, and not just because of his totally-not-romance. It's the first time the tactician has really got to work towards peace, and not just blindly follow his father's orders with the vague promise that it's for the greater good.

Or maybe Gaius knows nothing and the Exalt is just manipulating them. Right now though he'll put his faith in Robin, and hope that their home can recover and be better for it after this war is done with.

* * *

 **I couldn't really find a natural end point for this idea without dragging it out. As a consequence not all the plot threads get the time they need to develop, but you at least get snippets of the ideas I'm going for. Sumia was actually rather difficult to write, I never paid much attention to her when playing so I don't have a strong idea of how I should write her.**

* * *

 **Darklight of the 0 arcana** **:** Beast Robin? What do you mean? Taguel has already been done if that's what you mean.

My frame of reference for autism is literally just the internet, so I took my best guess based on Wikipedia and some youtube videos of people talking about their experiences. My general idea was that Robin would be sensitive to loud noise and _extremely_ so to touch, have a strictly defined schedule, stim by light rocking, and be a bit oblivious in social situations (she'd have trouble identifying when an idea is implied and not explicitly stated). That was how I tried to write her, I didn't want to make assumptions and just _guess_ what autism was like.

That being said, I'd love to hear your advice if you have some. I don't know what you mean by 'the way they think', so if you wouldn't mind clarifying I would appreciate it. Specifics would be useful.

 **Laughing Dog** **:** Ahh, thank you.

 **IsThisWorking** **:** Never played Dark Souls, so I don't know what you're talking about unfortunately.

You're totally right, I never thought of that. A pirate captain's coat isn't that far off from Robin's is it?

Again, that's another reference I don't get. Also, the link got cut off. Fanfiction net does that a lot unfortunately. You have to do some weird spacing so the website doesn't cut it out.

That seems fitting enough. I assumed it was like Fire Emblem myself, and that Virion's plans amounted to throwing all your units at one spot and muscling your way to the enemy commander regardless of your own losses and that Robin played more properly.

You give me far too much credit. With a bit of practice you could do fine. Look where I've gotten in only four years.

 **Guest** **:** More monster girls will happen! Just you wait!

 **Mr. Martin** **:** Thanks, didn't find that term.

Angel Robin, noted.

Showing all the future kids for each and every iteration of Robin would take way too much time. I want to stick to the core idea of this collection, so I only throw them in when it fits.

 **Dracofighter** **:** I'll be honest, I don't like time travel. It complicates a story far too much, and doesn't make that much logical sense to begin with (hence why my headcanon is that all the kids just come from a similar dimension to the Awakening one that just happens to be twenty or so years in the future). My apologies, but no.

 **ScorinVoidseeker** **:** Let me go on a tangent here: M!Robin romance is hard, mostly because I'm used to writing the girl as the assertive one in the romance and everyone I want to pair M!Robin with aren't very forward (Lissa, Sumia, Emmeryn…) soM!Robin romance is new territory for me because I'm forced to use character types I'm not used to. I can't rely on the F!assertive/M!insecure dynamic I usually use (examples include Hairweaver, Replicate, Mirroreye) and instead have to deal with double passives and insecures, making the man the assertive one, or try to fanagle my way with two characters that are just neutral (which is really hard to write by the way, it's hard to write someone as not leaning strongly one way or the other). Lissa turned out far better than I expected, but as you can see I did fall back on that assertive/insecure dynamic again. I think this dynamic is a habit I picked up from my other main story _Five Stars_ , and trying something else is yet to work well.

Miriel could have worked fine too, heck I could have used Maribelle, and considered Virion at one point, I just thought Lissa would be easier to write.

Hey! Replicate is a decent chapter! I didn't handle the gimmick well there, but the rest of it I think turned out fine.

I actually never considered what Owain would turn out like, you're totally right.


	26. Houndmaster Robin

**Disclaimer** **:** **I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **Blind Robin, as suggested by kamencolin. I'm adding Houndmaster onto this, it seems fitting.**

* * *

"Seriously Robin…" Chrom chuckles quietly, stroking Lula's fur. "They're supposed to stay outside."

'You don't sound too worried." The gold-haired girl notes. Her tone is one of amusement as she scratches Eda behind the ears. The dog leans into her, clearly appreciating it.

"Well _I_ don't mind, but they're making the council nervous." The Prince whispers. "They're all glaring at you."

"Really?" The girl blinks her glassy eyes, and then grins. She promptly brings up her left hand and flashes the middle finger. Chrom holds back a sigh as the council erupts into murmurs, totally derailing what they were talking about.

"Robyn." Emmeryn's voice calls out over the whispers. "I'd thank you _not_ to do that. While the council is perhaps being rude please do _not_ elevate the situation."

"Fiiine." Robin huffs, still grinning victoriously.

The Prince rolls his eyes to the sky and shakes his head. "Must you always cause trouble?"

"You told me they were glaring. What did you expect?" She scoffs.

"Is it too much to ask you be civil?"

"Is it too much to ask they don't glare?" She shoots back.

"Is it too much to ask you both pay attention?" Frederick growls behind them. "I expect such childishness from Robin, but you should know better Milord."

"Fuck you Frederick." Robin says unabashedly. She does, however, return her attention back to the matter at hand.

Chrom, having a bit more respect for the knight, does as he's told without complaint.

###

"Here's how it's done!" Robin snarls. She slams one of her spiked shields into the Risen's gut, and punches it in the face with the other which sends one of the spikes on the rim right through the monster's skull.

Eda and Lula each have their own monster between their jaws, and relentlessly tear out the creatures' throats with their teeth. Beside them Chrom and Frederick impale Risen on their respective weapons.

The Shepherds are decimating the most recent batch of Risen. Despite the size of their hoard, this group is of the weak variety and make easy pickings.

Chrom takes a moment to sip a vulnerary, hiding behind Frederick's bulk. He watches as Robin, snarling just like her hounds, cuts a line through the Risen with an unrelenting barrage of punches, bashes, cuts, and stabs from her unconventional weapons. In a lot of ways she resembles Chrom, with a style that relies more on overwhelming her foes with an onslaught of attacks than measuring each strike for optimal use.

It still awes the prince a bit to see her fight. Most people describe Robin's fighting as "brutal", and Chrom can't really deny that, but it's also quite the show to see her furiously bashing and slashing her opponents down, and the inclusion of spins to get momentum behind certain powerful attacks make her fighting seem almost choreographed at times.

The hounds, Eda and Lula, fit their master well. Their attacks are just as brutal as Robin's, always leaping for the throat and violently shaking their prey to snap their neck. The leaps are elegant, the takedown is brutal. A contrast that is almost poetic.

"Milord?"

Then again, maybe Chrom should consider the poetry of the fight _after_ it's over. "I'm ready again Frederick, let's go."

###

"What on Earth are you doing Robin?" Chrom asks in amusement.

"If I'm reading they don't bother me." The girl says, flipping the page.

The Prince has come upon the girl sitting in the corner of the room at a social gathering. If Chrom has to guess he'd say Sumia coerced her into coming, and then migrated to the group of noblewoman gossiping a few tables over.

"You can't even read." The Prince chuckles, flipping a dozen pages just to annoy her. The girl sticks her tongue out at him and tries to find the page she was on before. "You're _blind_ Robin."

"They don't know that." The tactician says stubbornly. Chrom rolls his eyes to the sky. "You better not be rolling your eyes at me Chrom!"

"How'd you know?"

"You always breath out your nose whenever I say something you think is ridiculous. I guessed that's you rolling your eyes, right?" The girl says, pouting. "Jerk."

"I hadn't even noticed." The Prince chuckles. "And _I'm_ the jerk for pointing out the obvious? How about you scaring off everyone with Eda and Lula?"

The two dogs perk up their ears at the sound of their names. They're sitting around Robin's legs, calm but alert of the people around them. They ignore Chrom for the most part due to being familiar with him already.

"I'm not scaring them. They just don't like dogs." Robin says defensively.

Chrom snorts in amusement. "Right, right. Not because you know people are terrified of them after seeing Eda tackle that asshole Duke?"

"Nope. I'm an angel. No bullshit here." The Tacitican says, keeping her blank eyes firmly locked on the pages she can't even read. "I'm not anti-social. Nope."

Chrom pulls a small box out of his pocket. "I brought chess."

"I could kiss you!" Robin says, instantly shoving the book in her coat. "Gods, I was bored out of my mind! You should have led with that!"

The Prince chuckles and starts setting up the board. "You're lucky I came to rescue you."

"What? You didn't get dragged here too?" She asks.

"Oh no I did." The Prince chuckles. He also pulls out a bit of dry jerky from a small bag and feeds the dogs sitting below them, who gratefully accept the treat. "It's just that Lissa told me Sumia was going to drag you along, so I decided to come prepared. Hopefully we can _both_ avoid the crowd."

###

"Wark! Yark!"

"Hello Lula." Chrom chuckles, patting the dog on the head. "Good to see you."

"Yap!" Eda joins in, jogging out of the house to rub herself against the Prince.

"You too Eda." The blue-haired boy says, also giving the dog a scratch on the ears. "Hmm… if you're both out here I'm going to bet Robin is still sleeping, isn't she?"

"Wark!"

The Prince rolls his eyes and strolls into the barracks. He waves to Stahl as he passes by, and snags a piece of bacon from the kitchen and makes his way to Robin's room. When he gets to the door he plants an ear to it, hears nothing, and walks in.

Robin is still sleeping, wrapped up tightly in her blankets. Chrom doesn't know how she isn't boiling in the summer heat. The Prince smirks, and waves the bacon just in front of her face. Robin's nose twitches, and she finally starts squirming around in her blanket cocoon.

The girl's eyes open tiredly, she gives a sniff of the air, and a scowl immediately crosses her face. "I hate you Chrom."

"I come bearing a gift." He waggles the bacon despite knowing she can't see it. Chrom finds it funny how both the dogs and their owner can be motivated by a bit of meat.

"Fuck you." The girl groans, and starts pushing her way out of the blankets.

"I could always give it to the dogs." The Prince taunts, smirking. "I'm sure they'd appreciate my gift."

"Fine, give me the damn bacon." Robin growls, reaching a hand out of her blankets. Chrom lets her have it, and the girl eats it in two bites. She reluctantly sits up, still glaring at him. "Have I told you I hate you?"

"Many times." The Prince chuckles. "Now get up and get dressed. We have work to do."

###

"We're lost!" Chrom admits, shouting to be heard. "I don't recognize anything!"

Eda and Lula pace the snow, shaking their bodies violently to be rid of the snow. The two huskies circle their master and Chrom, seeming just as lost as the humans. The wind howls loudly, and the sleet stings the Prince's face.

A Risen ambush separated the four of them from the rest of the Shepherds. In the snow and storm they lost their way, and they trudged around for hours until just now. What's worse is that Chrom doesn't have his coat. He threw it aside to be able to fight better, and now he's paying for it. Feroxi winter storms are brutal.

"It was already afternoon when the fight started!" Robin hollers. Her face is nearly invisible in her thick coat. "Forget finding the others! We need shelter! There's only going to be an hour or so before sundown!"

"Fuck." Chrom swears, shivering in the cold. "I don't know anything about surviving in the snow!"

"Just find us a tree!" The girl shouts back, holding out her hand. "I remember something Miriel told us that might work!"

The prince grabs her hand and leads her onwards. The noise of the wind and the danger of deep snow means it's far safer for Crom to lead Robin around than let her follow on her own. Even if the dogs are there to guide her, they're much more useful as scouts because they can get themselves out of deep snow easier if they fall in.

A few solid minutes of walking eventually lead them to a few trees. Robin instructs Chrom to choose the one with the widest branches, and when he leads her over to it she drops to her knees, pushes aside the branches, and starts digging at the base. Her dogs quickly join in, scraping away the snow around the base of the tree. "Chrom!" The girl shouts. "Either find or break off some branches! As many as you can get!"

The Prince tries, he really does. He even uses Falchion to cut off a few long-hanging branches, but his fingers are numb and his legs are starting to shake. He doesn't have enough, but it gets to the point where he can't even hold the wood he already has. The boy stumbles over to the hole Robin and her dogs have dug around the tree, noticing how they've hollowed out the snow all the way to the ground. "I'm sorry Robin, I can't… I can't feel anything in my hands, and my face is going numb…"

"What!?" Robin shouts. One of her gloved hands reaches blindly out and grabs at his face, and then his body. "Chrom, where's your coat!?"

"I threw it away when we were fighting!"

"Dammit Chrom, tell me these things! I'm _blind_ remember!? How would I know that?!" The girl snarls, grabbing his arm and pulling him down into the pit. "Get in here! Now!"

The wall of snow around them is nearly two feet deep, and thankfully blocks the wind. The girl quickly puts the branches Chrom collected on the floor, creating a bed of pine needles, and then forcefully grabs the Prince's hands, bares her teeth, and bites his knuckle.

"Ow!" Chrom hisses. "Why'd you do that?!"

"Good, you can still feel it." Robin mutters. "That means the fingers aren't dead yet."

The Tactician takes off her gloves for a moment so she can unbutton her coat, and pulls the Prince's hands against her stomach. Chrom's fingers tingle at the feeling of heat, and his entire body shudders. "Sorry about this."

"Not your fault." The girl grunts. Eda and Lula jump into the pit with them, and join in the huddle. Their warm fur is a welcome addition to fight the cold. "We'll have to sleep here for the night. Hopefully the tree's branches will block any incoming snow, and this pit will keep the wind out."

"Alright."

"We just have to cross our fingers the storm is gone tomorrow so we can find our way back, otherwise we'll probably just have to stay here." Robin says. "Hope you don't mind cuddling, because otherwise you'll freeze."

###

Chrom wakes when Lula does. The dog yawns wiggles out from under the humans, dropping him and Robin onto the pine floor. The girl is latched firmly onto the prince, her arms are tightly around his head to keep it pressed against her chest, and his own hands are still curled around her stomach for warmth.

The Prince can't help but think that if Robin hadn't insisted on this he'd probably get punched for being so intimate. He's thankful that she was so willing to help him though, especially at the sacrifice of her own dignity. Her coat is also a lifesaver, lying on top of them like a blanket to keep in the heat.

Reluctantly the boy releases her and gently prys her arms off his head. He was hoping not to disturb her, but the movement is enough to wake her up.

"Mornin'," The girl grunts, sitting up. "Gah, my back is stiff… I don't hear any wind, is it clear out there?"

Chrom pokes his head out of their shelter, noting the lack of falling snow with relief. "All clear. Snow looks like it piled up a bit though, we'll have to be careful where we walk."

"Good enough." Robin sighs, and stretches her arms. Chrom quickly bemoans the loss of his cloak as the girl shrugs hers back on. "I don't suppose you have any food on you?"

"Unfortunately no."

"I guess the dogs are eating and we'll have to tough it out." The girl mutters, pulling a pouch of dog food from her coat.

She gives a shrill whistle, and Lula comes bounding over from where she wandered off. Eda, who Chrom has almost forgotten about, comes running over from a far tree. The Prince can see the dog has actually worn a circle in the snow around their hideout, she was patrolling.

Robin tosses some of the food to the dogs, who eagerly scarf down the treats. They look at their master, whining and begging for more, but Robin puts away the bag with a chuckle. "Sorry girls. We don't know if we'll find civilization today, you might need this food later."

"Now that I can see the sun, we can actually navigate." Chrom mutters, stepping out of the pit. He grimaces at the feeling of snow under his boots again. "We were heading northwest, which is only a bit off from where we should be going. We'll march northeast today and hopefully find the city."

"Whatever you say Chrom." Robin grunts, hopping out of the shelter. "At least it's not as cold today. Tell me if you start to freeze again, we might be walking for a while and I don't want you losing fingers."

"Alright. We should get moving as soon as possible, so unless you have something to do…?"

"Nope. Let's move." She snaps her fingers, and Eda bounds over next to her master. Robin firmly grabs the scruff of the dog's neck, allowing the husky to lead her. With her free hand she points to Chrom. "Lula! Guard!"

The other husky trots over, standing patiently next to the Prince. Chrom knows that if he falls into a pit or a particularly soft snowbank Lula will be the first to dig him out. The Prince rubs the dog's ears for a second, squares his shoulders, and leads their march to find civilization.

###

"Chrooom!" Lissa wails, tackling her brother with a hug. "We were so worried! You aren't hurt, are you?!"

"A bit chilly, but I've got all my pieces." The Prince chuckles, returning the hug happily. "I don't think I want to spend another night in the snow any time soon though."

"It is good to see you safe Milord." Frederick sighs. The normally composed man is visibly sagging in relief as he brings in hot coffee for the Prince and Robin. "I was worried frostbite would take its toll."

"Robin thankfully stopped that from happening." Chrom laughs. "And the dogs too."

"This moron threw away his coat." Robin scoffs, and accepts a cup from Frederick. "He's lucky I'm not touch-averse."

The Prince pointedly ignores Lissa's sudden grin and sparkling eyes. "Yes yes, thank you for all that. I'm glad to have all my fingers, even if you did bite me."

"Woof." The tactician snorts, and flashes a toothy grin.

"Bad dog." Chrom replies, equally bemused. "Either way, thank you for keeping me alive."

"Yeah yeah. Next time just keep your damn coat on. Your hands were like ice." She grunts.

###

"I hate you Chrom."

"You know what? I'm starting to think that isn't genuine." Chrom says brightly, knowing it will irritate the girl. "You say it so often, but you never actually tell me to go away."

"Fuck you."

"We're not even married." The Prince shoots back, smirking when her frown grows into a scowl. "Imagine what would happen to my reputation!"

"Says the guy who casually walks into a lady's room every morning while she's sleeping." Robin grumbles, pushing out of her blanket cocoon. "Give me the damn bacon."

Chrom hands her the meat, watching in faint amusement as she scarfs it down. "The tournament is today. Did you finish the roster?"

"You, Freddy, Lissa, Kellam, Miriel, Virion." The girl grunts. She shoves aside her sheets, and Chrom politely averts his eyes to the ceiling. He waits patiently as she rustles around for a clean set of clothes.

"You're not joining?"

"I don't wanna get smacked by an arrow or a fireball I can't see." She grunts. "I can't bring Eda or Lula, and they're the ones that alert me to projectiles. You can look down now."

"How'd you know I looked up? Did I breath funny or something?"

"People's voices sound different when they're not looking right at you. It's really subtle though. Plus I don't exactly take you for someone who'd peek, despite you trying to sound all _suggestive_ earlier." She says, grabbing her shields from against the wall.

Chrom shrugs. "It's not like I can get away saying something like that to anyone else."

"Nice to know I'm special." Robin snorts. An impish smirk crosses her face. "But imagine if I told Lissa or Frederick? The Prince of Ylisse, making lewd comments to the blind girl as she gets dressed in her room."

"You wouldn't." Chrom says in mock horror. He lightly taps her on the head with his hand. "Bad dog."

"You enjoy saying that don't you?" She asks accusingly.

"It's funny."

"Yeah yeah, because I have dogs." The girl snorts.

"And because you bit me."

"Oh yes, I'm such an animal." She drawls, walking out of the room. Eda and Lula, who were silently watching the two humans this entire time, pad out behind her. "Rawr."

"Bad." Chrom taps her on the head again, suppressing a laugh, and she glares in his general direction. "Once more and you don't get bacon in the morning."

"Okay, this joke has officially run its course." Robin growls.

###

"No."

"Come on."

"I'm blind Chrom."

"If you can fight undead monsters, you can dance." The Prince scoffs. "Would you rather get pulled into Flavia's drinking contest?"

The girl's face scrunches up into a pout. She knows he's right, and she doesn't want to drink. "I hate you."

"Sure, sure. Now get up." Chrom laughs.

Sighing, the girl gropes for his hand and grabs hold. The Prince hauls her to her feet, ignoring her fierce scowl, and leads her to the open space. The music is a lively folk-song, not quite a style Chrom is familiar with, but timing the moves of a box steps to beats in the music works well enough.

"You keep glaring and your face will freeze like that." The Prince jokes.

"I can kick you in the balls Chrom, it wouldn't be hard." Robin growls. "And if you say 'bad dog' I _will_ do it."

Chrom laughs softly. "Always aggressive, aren't you?"

She gives him a savage grin with bared teeth. "Disappointed?"

"Hardly." The Prince chuckles. He hears the song coming to an end, so he steels himself and takes a chance. "Though it is a hassle to tame such an unruly animal."

Robin's face scrunches up in annoyance, and Chrom notes her leg coming back for a kick (to the shin, she isn't _that_ mean) but the song reaches its final notes at the perfect time. The Prince suddenly steps forwards, unbalancing the tactician, and lowers her into a dip. He hears her start to swear, so quickly Chrom leans forward and plants a kiss on her lips.

"Bad dog." He says triumphantly, pulling her back to her feet. The girl looks half annoyed, half overjoyed. "Though for the record I don't actually want to 'tame' you. Your aggressiveness is part of who you are."

"Good." She growls, grabbing his collar. Her expression is definitely a grin despite her best attempts to snarl. "This means you'll have to stop hanging bacon over my head."

"And why's that?" The Prince laughs.

"Because you'll be sleeping with me now." Robin says, pulling his face close to hers. "Right?"

Chrom blinks, suddenly realizing what she means. "W-Well-"

"Was that _not_ a marriage proposal?" The tactician smirks. "Were you just trying to get in my pants?"

"No, no! I just planned on, uh, _courting_ you." Chrom stammers.

"Chrom, I think you making lewd jokes in my bedroom is far past 'courting'." The girl chuckles. "So are you marrying me or not?"

"I-I… yes, of course." The Prince says, regaining his composure. "Gods, I don't have a ring or anything."

"Chrom."

"Yes?"

"I don't care about the damn ring." She growls happily. "Come on."

The Prince stumbles a bit as she starts pulling him away. "Where are we-"

"My room, your room. I don't care which."

"You don't want to wait?"

"Fuck no." She scoffs. "Do you?"

"N-Not really."

"No reason not to then!" Robin laughs. "Now you don't have the excuse of us not being married!"

"We're not-"

"Engaged, married, close enough! Stop making excuses and let's do this!"

* * *

 **Okay, this is a fine ending point. It was strange to write a Robin who's frequently annoyed and/or aggressive, but a welcome change from the usual.**

* * *

 **ARSLOTHES** **:** Ultraman…? That Japanese show? I know _nothing_ about it, sorry.

 **Bakururu** **:** I never finished the postgame either, I couldn't be bothered slogging through dozens more levels of dungeons and just looked up what the rest of the story was.

 **Rouge H. Dragoon :** I don't know what a person user _is_ beyond that it's from the Persona games.

 **Mram99** **:** Alien robin, I like it! The weird thing with romance is that I can imagine what it's like for a girl to go aggressive, but for a man I genuinely have no idea how to write that without them coming off as creepy. It shouldn't be difficult, but it is.

 **Darkness is complete** **:** I'll consider it, but that's going to be hard to write.

 **IcyAltheon** **:** That seems incongruous with the rest of the collection. My apologies but no.

 **DetectiveChickenWing** **:** Nice to hear I got Sumia right.

Regenerating Robin huh? On the list it goes, but there are frankly more interesting ideas to write so don't expect it soon.

 **Laughing Dog :** Alright, Regenerating Robin. Don't expect to see it soon though.

 **FleetwoodPink2Zeppelin :** I like that idea. I'll put it on the list.


	27. Arranged Marriage Robin

**Disclaimer** **:** **I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **Arranged Marriage, as requested by Guest.**

 **This was a toss up between Emmeryn and Lissa, this probably have been easier if I chose Lissa, and even easier if Robin was female because Chrom is a character I'm comfortable working with. Instead I went with Robin and Emmeryn because I had an idea, but I'm not sure how well it turned out here.**

* * *

"You called Milady?" Robin asks, bowing politely. His retainers, two dark mages, mimic the gesture behind him.

Three months they've been married, and he still won't use her name. "Yes Robin. I wish to ask your expertise."

"On what?" The man asks. His expression is carefully neutral as always. His green eyes stare almost blankly up at Emmeryn. One eye is partially hidden by light brown hair.

"I wish to consult you on matters of economics." The Exalt says, bemoaning the formality of her speech. Emmeryn finds it distasteful that she needs to be so stiff with her own husband, but Robin tends to grow even more defensive than normal if she speaks casually. "We've a new trade agreement with Ferox, and I would discuss it with you. I understand you've already taken it upon yourself to read it over?"

"Yes, I have."

"Are you presently available to discuss it? The matter could take a few hours." Emmeryn knows the response to this question before she asks it. Robin has nothing to do right now, the Exalt asked Henry about the Tactician's schedule not even an hour ago, but Emmeryn knows Robin will insist on meeting later rather than discussing the matter now.

Even stranger, he always refuses a time she suggests. He'll _only_ accept a time he himself chooses. Emmeryn is fairly sure he isn't a vain man, but for whatever reason Robin absolutely insists on changing the time of any meeting just between the two of them. Meetings involving even one other person he won't argue with, but if it's just the two of them he _always_ reschedules.

"Well." Robin murmurs. "May we push this back to tonight? After dinner?"

Emmeryn mentally runs through her own schedule, checking her own plans. "Yes, that is acceptable. I shall see you tonight then."

The man bows stiffly, turns swiftly about, and strides out of the room. Henry and Tharja follow, with the white-haired boy throwing Emmeryn a wave and a grin as he leaves, and the large crow on his shoulder caws loudly.

The Exalt lets out a quiet sigh when the group leaves. In some ways her arranged marriage turned out much better than expected, and in other ways it has turned out far worse. Their mother arranged a marriage that was grossly in the Plegian's favour as is never specified _who_ was to be her husband. Emmeryn counts herself fortunate that Robin was chosen and not some old man or stubborn Grimleal fanatic… but at the same time she could at least understand how a fanatic thinks and could work around an old man. Robin is a problem because Emmeryn _wants_ to have a good relationship with him. They're stuck together for the rest of their lives, and he seems like a perfectly acceptable person, so she doesn't _want_ to just ignore him as much as possible.

The problem is that he doesn't even _try_ to act like they're married. She can count on her fingers the number of times they've actually come into physical contact (and that's counting minor things like a handshake), and on one hand their honest and forthright conversations.

"Milady?" Phila calls, stepping in the room. "Are you available? I just saw the King leave."

"Yes Phila." Emmeryn says, drawing herself upright once more. "What is it?"

###

"Henry, I need you to deliver this for me." Robin says, handing the dark mage a small pile of papers without looking away. "Give these to the Exalt. Tell her it's all I can remember about the Grimleal."

"Can do Rob!" The white-haired boy laughs. "What'cha doing now then huh? Writing up curses?"

"Revising the draft of the treaty." The tacitican says curtly. "Now get going, I have other things for you to deliver after that."

"Aww, why can't you get Tharja to do it?" Henry pouts.

"She's collecting some references I need." Robin grunts. "The Exalt needs those papers Henry, so move."

"Fine." Henry chuckles, sliding out the door. "Come on Fog, let's go!"

A particularly large crow perching on a chandelier in the hallway flutters down to rest on the mage's shoulder. It gives a light caw and nips affectionately at Henry's white hair, grooming him.

"I was only in there a minute." The mage murmurs. He balances the papers in one hand to rub the feathers on Fog's back. "Love you too girl."

"Raaaw!"

"Yeah, he does work too much."

"Rawrk."

"Nyahaha! So true! But you know he has trust issues."

"Caw! Caw!"

"Okay, maybe he goes a bit overboard with the paranoia." Henry chuckles. "But you would too if you had a father like his!"

"I can hear you!" Robin calls from the other side of the door. "Hurry up Henry! I have other deliveries I need you to make!"

"Sorry Robbie! I'll get on it!" The dark mage laughs. He skips down the hall, cape flapping behind him. The servants still aren't used to seeing him around, and often yelp when he comes around a corner. They scramble out of his way, nervously eyeing the bird on his shoulder.

The castle is large, but Emmeryn's office isn't far from Robin's. It's only a few hallways off, and Henry gets there in less than five minutes.

"Fog, announce me." The boy requests. The bird blinks once, and then caws loudly. It waits for a few seconds, listening, and repeats.

"Henry, is that you?" Emmeryn's voice calls from the office.

"Yep! My arms are full, would appreciate you opening the door before they fall off!" Henry chirps.

It's fairly telling that the dark mage doesn't care that he's asking the ruler of an entire country to open a door for him. Status means little to Henry.

The wooden door open soundlessly, the well-oiled hinges a testament to the care put in keeping the room clean. Emmeryn pauses on noticing the pages in Henry's arms. "Are those…?"

"It's what Robin remembers about the Grimleal." The dark mage smiles, and hands her the bundle.

"My thanks Henry." The lady nods her head respectfully. She hesitates, and then adds "If you don't mind, I have a question."

"About Robin again?" Henry asks, grinning. "Sure, shoot me!"

Emmeryn is unphased by his choice of words. "I am concerned that I am… at _fault_ somehow. Do-"

"Stopping you right there." The dark mage says, holding up a hand. His voice has dropped from cheery to calm, which is very unusual and a sign he's being serious for once. "Robin has issues, a _lot_ of them; not as much as me, but still a lot. If you can't think of anything, I'd say there's a ninety-nine percent chance you specifically are fine."

"Me specifically?"

"Lady, you're the most patient and nice person I've seen my entire life." Henry says bluntly. "This has nothing to do with anything you've done. Robin has issues, and the problem is that those issues were _helpful_ in Plegia so they aren't going away easily."

"I-I see…" Emmeryn winces. "Is there anything I can do?"

"Avoid giving him orders if you can, or anything that sounds like it could be interpreted as one." The dark mage says cryptically. The Exalt looks like she wants to ask more, but Henry is already leaving. His expression is back to his customary wide smile. "Can't say more, I've got errands to run! Bye Lady!"

The blonde woman watches the boy retreat down the hallway, talking amicably to the bird on his shoulder which caws back at him. For all she knows they might be having an actual conversation.

###

Robin respects the Exalt, he really does. She's a woman of peace, and the tactician has always wanted exactly that. He tries his best to lend help in the areas he's skilled in, namely paperwork and military matters. Since military encounters aren't common thanks to their marriage, this mostly means the boy spends his time reading treaties, laws, propositions, and reports, and writing down everything he can think of that might be of use for reference.

His knowledge of Plegia is called on frequently by his new liege. Economics was never his area of expertise, but he seems to know enough to satisfy the Exalt. She asks frequently about things related to trade and work, especially concerning what is feasible to help lower prices for the lower classes or improve their standard of living in other ways.

While Robin does respect the Exalt and the work she does, he is also _very_ wary of her. While she's been nothing but polite and kind to him, the tactician is not so foolish as to think they are equals. Perhaps they are by official status, but if he and the Exalt were to have an argument for whatever reason, the tactician knows he would be assumed to be wrong simply on virtue of being Plegian, or being the new one, or _not_ being the people's beloved Exalt.

Robin knows the Exalt has power over him, and no number of smiles or polite words is going to make him forget that. Just like working under his father in Plegia he is careful to avoid angering her, but tries to exert his own power over a situation whenever possible. It's often simple things like rescheduling meetings when he doesn't actually need to, but it reassures the man to at least have a small bit of power. It makes him feel safe to know he can do _something_ against her if needed.

Just being near the woman is nerve-wracking though. While Robin is more than willing to help her efforts to make and keep peace, he'd prefer to do it from the safety of his office. Recently though the Exalt seems to be making an attempt to talk to him more often which causes Robin no end of stress.

Robin knows they're technically married, but he thought she would appreciate him trying to stay out of her way. Instead she still insist they sleep in the same bed, and she always tries to eat dinner with him. The Exalt has an interest in him, and Robin know from experience how dangerous that is. When someone has an interest in you they tend to poke their nose into your business, learning about you, and when that person is more powerful than you it means they now have information with which they can manipulate you. If the Exalt _wasn't_ more powerful than Robin he could fight back or keep her in check, but as it stands the Tactician tries to keep everything as close to his chest as he can for his own safety.

What's annoying is that Henry and Tharja seem to think he's being ridiculous when they never had an issue with his behaviour _before_ coming to Ylisse.

"Come on, she's a nice lady." Henry prods, lying across the couch with Fog perched on the back.

"No." Robin says firmly.

"For once I agree with Henry." Tharja drawls. She's sitting at the dining table with several books spread around her. She seems to be transcribing new curses into her grimoire. "You're ruining your own chance at freedom Robin. You _wanted_ to get out of Plegia."

"No, I wanted to be out from under my father's thumb." The Tacitican says firmly. "This is just trading an awful superior for one that's less so. It's an improvement for sure, but not freedom."

"But the Exalt's great" Henry chirps. "You were _never_ gonna get married before but somehow you ended up with someone nice, patient, who shares similar goals, and is willing to put up with your paranoia."

"I am _not_ paranoid."

"Robin, you just finished explaining why you don't trust the single nicest person we've ever met." Tharja says bluntly.

"And that's coming from Tharja, you know she doesn't like people!" Henry laughs.

"You trust us, right?" Tharja asks.

"Well yes…"

"Why? Henry is more powerful than you, and I know plenty of your secrets." The dark mage says calmly. "Isn't that dangerous?"

"Yes." Robin says. "But Henry values companionship, and we're some of the few that actually give it to him, and I know just as much about you as you do me. It evens out, and besides, neither of you are my superiors."

Tharja sighs. "Robin, you _know_ she's not dangerous. You _know_ she's not secretly manipulating you. You're refusing to trust your own judgement because you're convinced that people are _always_ out to get you."

"I haven't been wrong yet!" The man insists, gripping his quill tightly.

" _We're_ not out to get you." Henry offers.

"Well…" Robin says slowly.

"Come on Robbie, does this look like the face of someone out to get you?" The cheery dark mage puts on a big smile.

The Tactician doesn't respond and goes back to his work. Fog caws indignantly at the man's back.

###

"Milord." Robin says, knocking on the Prince's door. "You wanted to see me."

"Robin! Come in." Chrom calls.

The Tactician tentatively steps through the door, immediately scanning for any sort of danger. He notes the collection of swords on the wall and Falchion at the boy's hip. Subconsciously one of the Tactician's hands slips into it's sleeve to grip the dagger concealed there. "What is it Milord?"

"Just Chrom. We're family remember?" The man chuckles. He gestures to one of two chairs set around a small table. "Sit, please."

Robin sits nervously. He's very aware of the open door behind him leading to the Prince's bedchambers. There's probably no one there, but the Tactician is still wary of an attack towards his back. Chrom sits in the other seat, and takes a moment to adjust his pauldron. Robin thinks the man looks a bit on edge.

"Now, I hate to actually ask this of you." Chrom admits. "But I've had no success myself."

"What?" Robin asks curtly, feeling tense. A request is suspicious, it requires something of him for nothing in return. Why is Chrom asking for a favour? Does he have blackmail material? Does he think Robin is a pushover?

"Emmeryn looks stressed lately." The Prince says. "More so than usual anyways. I've had no success getting anything out of her, and I'm hoping you know the cause."

"Maybe." Robin says cautiously, trying to measure the Prince's intent. It doesn't seem like he has anything to bargain with, why does he assume Robin will tell him anything even if he _did_ know? "Why…?"

The blue-haired boy raises an eyebrow, as if the answer should be obvious. "Because I want to help of course. I understand the reasons might be personal, so even if you can just tell me how to help I don't need to know the cause."

That sounds altruistic, which is a red flag to Robin. Altruism is often a disguise to try and gain favour. "I'll admit not to know myself." The Tactician says truthfully, hoping this will be the end of the conversation.

"So she's even hiding it from you?" The Prince sighs, rubbing his brow. "That's worrisome."

Robin is confused. What does the Prince mean 'even from you'? That presumes he has the Exalt's trust, which is _not_ the case.

The Prince stands up and claps the Tactician on the shoulder. "Whatever the case, if you figure something out please tell me. If I can help, I will."

"Of course." Robin says, keeping his face neutral. He leaves quickly, giving a polite goodbye to the Prince. On the way back his mind is racing, trying to process the encounter. The Prince is trying to gain favour with his sister, he thinks Robin is close to her, the Exalt seems stressed, and the Prince has no bargaining chip but is trying to get information anyways.

What does the Tactician do with this information? The Exalt being stressed is a bad thing, she's the key to peace. From a logical standpoint it would aid Robin's goal of peace to help remove that stress. They are working on a new treaty concerning Ferox, Plegia, and Ylisse, and there are to be major talks in a month. Perhaps the Exalt is inundated with revisions and planning for the inevitable arguments.

Robin is no stranger to those, and while his workload is already large he could probably take on some extra work for a month or so. Just enough to give the Exalt some free time and take the edge off her stress.

Yes, Robin can do that. First though he needs to be sure the treaty is actually the cause…

###

Emmeryn doesn't know what to think. Robin has always kept her at arm's length, but now he's suddenly showing concern for her health. It reassures her that her efforts to put the man at ease haven't gone to waste, but at the same time she is concerned that her own stress is showing. Emmeryn tries her best to hide her pains from others so as to not make them worry, she must have slipped.

She also doesn't want to admit that the very man asking after her health is a major cause of her stress in the first place. That would be a rude thing to say to him after he finally starts showing concern.

"I am fine Robin." The Exalt responds calmly. "Our current workload is a bit overbearing, but it is nothing I am not used to."

"Of course." The man responds, bowing his head respectfully. "However it would seem your brother has taken notice. He came to me asking after your problems and offering assistance."

"That does sound like Chrom." Emmeryn hums fondly. "What did you tell him?"

"As little as possible." Robin says bluntly. He wears the same mask of blank neutrality that he always does, and it's a bit disconcerting . "I was unaware myself until he mentioned it."

It makes sense that the man would say little, but he didn't say "I said nothing because I know nothing" he said "I said as little as possible". _That_ is very concerning.

"Chrom is my brother, while I appreciate your attempt to keep my privacy it is not necessary to totally shut him out." Emmeryn explains softly.

"I see." Robin says. "He is of little concern then?"

The Exalt blinks in shock. "Pardon?"

"He isn't a concern, you aren't worried about him knowing your condition." The Tactician clarifies.

"Of course not, he is my brother." Emmeryn says worriedly. Robin's expression changes minorly, a brief flash of confusion. Emmeryn suddenly realizes they're not on the same page whatsoever. "Robin, if you don't mind me asking, why are you concerned if Chrom is asking about my health?"

"It's suspicious." Robin says. "He might be looking for blackmail or weakness. A chance to gain power over you, to manipulate you."

At this point Emmeryn starts to understand that conversation she had with Henry a week ago. Robin has issues, as in his understanding of the world is fundamentally _different_ due to his upbringing in Plegia. The Exalt hesitates to call his views _wrong_ , they were probably helpful at a point, but she is very concerned about how it's affecting him now. She wants him to trust her, to feel comfortable, but his mindset is one that takes innocuous or even well-meaning gestures as threats or attempts to control a person.

Henry's advice to avoid giving commands makes total sense now. A command, regardless of the reason for giving it, will be seen as dangerous because she's exerting power over him.

How does she convince him that in Ylisse, or at least among her family, Robin doesn't have to worry about such things?

"Robin…" Emmeryn hesitates. "You do understand my family does not work that way, right?"

The boy blinks. "How not?"

"We don't try to manipulate each other." She says, deciding to take the direct approach. "We are a team, not competitors."

"Right…" Robin says slowly. "So there is a system in place that stops your siblings from taking your position?"

"No, they simply do not wish to dethrone me." Emmeryn says patiently. "Just like your retainers do not wish harm upon you."

Robin is silent, and Emmeryn knows he is unconvinced. She goes for a different approach.

"It is the same as my attitude towards you Robin." The Exalt explains softly. "I do not worry about you trying to manipulate me. I _trust_ you."

That seems to take him back for a moment. His eyes show uncertainty. "Why? How?"

"You are my husband, you respect my desire for peace, and I have seen that you are kind." Emmeryn says simply. "You seem a good man Robin, and as such I see little reason _not_ to trust you."

"That is foolhardy." Robin says bluntly. "I could be a danger to you, despite my attempts to appear less so."

"How so?"

"Staying out of your way, not making requests, not prying into your personal business, being respectful and polite, not touching you." The Tacitican lists. "I worry that you are not cautious enough Milady. You are important to the future peace of this continent, and it would not do for you to be injured or killed because of your trusting nature."

"I appreciate your caution, but do know this trust does not extend to everyone." The lady murmurs. "I trust you because I have seen enough of your character to make a decision, I am more cautious of others."

"If you say so Milady." Robin murmurs.

"Emmeryn." The Exalt says suddenly. "We are married, there is no need for such formality."

The Tacitican purses his lips. "I am trying to respect your space Milady. I know you had little choice in this marriage, and I wish to give you the choice pursue your happiness without me getting in the way."

"I am not so petty as to disregard my own husband." Emmeryn says firmly. "I am prepared to try and make this relationship work, regardless of the circumstances around it's foundation."

Robin seems very tense. "I… I see. However I am not sure I can return your trust."

"Then I will try to earn it." The Exalt says. "However, I do not want my efforts to be in vain. You must try to make this work as well."

"A deal…" Robin says cautiously.

"A deal of mutual support, yes." Emmeryn nods. "Though I would not phase it that way myself." She pauses, considering something, and takes a small chance. "Robin, may I request something small of you?"

"What?" The man sounds instantly on edge. At the very least he isn't hiding his reactions anymore.

"Call me Emmeryn." She insists. "And _please_ stop rescheduling when it isn't needed. It is quite difficult to plan around."

"My apologies Mil- _Emmeryn_." Robin mutters. He fidgets for a moment, clearly uncomfortable.

"You can speak your mind." The lady prompts gently.

"I am supposed to ask for nothing in return, correct?" The Tactician asks cautiously. "That is how this works?"

"It is a _request_ Robin, not a demand." Emmeryn says. "You may request something in return if you wish."

"But that is not how this sort of relationship usually functions, correct?"

"Correct, but if it makes you feel comfortable to ask for something in return then do so."

"Then I want proof."

"Of what?"

"You said you trust me, right? How can I be sure?"

Emmeryn doesn't even need to think about that question. "Every night we sleep in the same bed. I am aware you keep a dagger under your pillow, but I do not protest. I have no such weapon on my person during those times. Is that evidence enough?"

"That is sufficient." Robin agrees reluctantly.

Emmeryn smiles widely for the first time in a while. Just like their marriage this relationship is not ideal, but it can improve and eventually reach a state no different than a willing marriage or well-founded relationship. It will just take a bit more time and work. Emmeryn is patient, and she looks forward to the day they truly begin to act as husband and wife.

* * *

 **I think I got Robin's mindset across pretty well this time. Paranoid, thinks people are inherently power-hungry, needs some manner of control to make him feel safe (even if that control is over something small)... you get it.**

 **The last scene was the hardest. Describing relationships that you can't just sum up with the word "friends" or "rivals" is difficult.**

* * *

 **Darklight of the 0 arcana** **:** I presume you're talking about Robin, who would be female this chapter. It switches every other time. Even is female, odd is male.

 **IsThisWorking** **:** Yes.

 **Guest** **:** Holy night who happens(ed?) to be Grimleal? Huh, I'll have to chew on that one for a while.

 **ARSLOTHES** **:** I think you'll find that doesn't add nearly as much to a story as you'd expect. I'll probably have to throw that in with something else.

 **Darkness is complete** **:** Deaf Robin? Sure. I'll add Elemental Robin to the list as well, but you're right in saying it's a difficult idea.

 **Emryth** **:** I suppose I could, but changing a character's class doesn't affect them as much as you'd think especially when it's so similar to their normal class. Like… if I made Sully a mage her combat role would change, but otherwise she's still _Sully_ , nothing outside would change too much aside from a few aesthetics like training with a tome rather than a lance.

So I can, but it'll be as a result of something else. Dark Flier isn't a significant change in itself.

 **V-oppa** **:** I have nothing against SI stories, in fact I quite like them when they're well done, but this idea doesn't quite seem in keeping with the rest of this collection. It doesn't really feel like _Robin_ at that point. A sucked-into-game plot assumes we're _not_ dealing with the real Robin but someone replacing them, and that runs contrary to the collection.

Not a bad idea on it's own though. I'll file it away for that collection of random stories I might/will probably make in the future.


	28. Angel Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **Okay, here's the current list of valid ideas. Minor ideas can't hold a story themselves, and Unlikely ideas are particularly difficult to work with and/or unlikely for me to** _ **ever**_ **do. 'Other' ideas aren't fit for this collection, but might be used in a different one.**

 **Minor: Dark Flier, Regenerating, Immortal.**

 **Standard: Elemental, Deaf, Foreign, Alien, Future sight, Tiny, Nurse, Valmese Tactician, Medusa, Goddess, Racer, Amazon, Genderfluid, Slime, Gift from Validar + evil to good, Mind Control, Banshee, Bard, Consistent Amnesia, Old, Dancer, Mimic, Lamia.**

 **Unlikely: Chrom's child, Minotaur, Paladin, Werewolf, Assassin, Future Soldier, Bounty Hunter, Weather control, Kleptomaniac, Druid, Steampunk, Shadow Familiar.**

 **Other: Pokemon Trainer, Self-insert, Second Generation replacement,**

 **This requested by Mr. Martin: Angel Robin.**

* * *

Despite what stories might try to convince you of, angels are no more divine than humans. Their tendency towards altruism and their general elegance and beauty do help that impression though.

Robin certainly fits that description. Her appearance is unearthly with spotless peach skin, long gold hair, and platinum orbs for eyes. Much like Emmeryn the girl seems to exude an aura of calm, she defuses tensions with a smile and never hesitates to help.

That all changes the instant she and Chrom are in private.

"Fuck this!" Robin shouts, throwing her hands up in the air. "Fuck _all_ of this! Fuck war, fuck paperwork, fuck troop movements, fuck supply lines, and _fuck Risen_!"

"You forgot Grimleal." Chrom says, not looking up from his work.

"Fuck them too!" Robin says, pacing back and forth. "Fuck sand, fuck heat, fuck _humidity_ for sure, and fuck stupid goddamn wyverns!"

"Why wyverns?"

"Because they're annoying!" The tactician growls. "Gods, I hate air combat."

The Prince's mouth quirks into a smile. "Fuck air combat?"

"Yes!" She groans. "I hate accounting for troops that can just _ignore_ terrain. It's such a hassle."

"Anything else?" Chrom asks patiently.

"Fuck Maribelle's lessons, fuck your sister's pranks, fuck Frederick's training, fuck Vaike in general..."

"Is that all?"

"Fuck me too. _Please_. I could use the stress relief." The girl says, turning her gaze to the Prince expectantly.

"I'm working Robin." Chrom says, unphased. He can't see her because he's looking at his work, but he knows her well enough to realize she's watching him. It's amusing to him that this angel, seen as a paragon of virtue and known for her calm kindness, is actually just a stressed, foul-mouthed, sex-hungry, very _human_ girl.

The again Chrom is hardly the same person everyone sees either. He doesn't like to let others see his stress as well.

"It'll be a few hours before I'm done." The Prince says. "And we still need to have dinner."

"After all that then?" Robin asks hopefully.

"Of course Robin." Chrom chuckles. "I'm always happy to help."

###

Chrom remembers how the first time happened. He knew he'd been getting close to Robin at the time, and a few days before she's finally shown her grouchy side to him so they had a certain level of trust.

Robin had been groaning about the day she's been through, complaining about how stupid some other people had been. She'd made an off-hand comment about needing to get laid and Chrom had jokingly offered to help.

Then the Tactician had actually accepted, and Chrom couldn't bring himself to mention that he was joking. It had turned out fine of course, that's why the arrangement still stood today, but it was certainly _not_ how the Prince imagined his first time would go.

Now that he thinks of it, he never actually told Robin about any of this even four months after the fact. It's not exactly important though, so it probably doesn't matter.

"Stumped?" The Angel says with a cocky grin.

"Shush, I'm thinking." The Prince grumbles.

Maybe he should stop thinking about sex and focus on the game. Chrom has never been fantastic at chess, and distracting himself is not going to help. He knew he was going to lose before they even started the game, but that's besides the point.

Tentatively Chrom grabs the rook which he had used to castle earlier in the game. He moves it to the middle of the field, supported by his bishop and queen.

"Just admit defeat now." The girl chuckles, daintily moving a pawn forwards a single space. The Prince scowls when he notes that his bishop's attack path has been cut off. "Surrender isn't that bad, I'll be gentle…"

"Subtle." Chrom snorts. Looks like she has sex on the mind too, and that means one thing... "Bad day today?"

"No." She huffs, looking offended. "Do you think I only want sex when I'm annoyed and stressed?"

"Yes." The Prince says bluntly. He moves his other rook over up to threaten her newly moved pawn. "Though the lack of swearing beforehand was admittedly rather strange."

Robin's face turns to a pout. "Fine. I'll remember that for next time."

"I never said I wouldn't." Chrom adds absently. "I was just surprised is all."

"Thanks." The girl sighs. She flicks yet another pawn forward a space. "I do appreciate you humoring me all the time by the way. I know with my griping I usually forget to tell you that."

"I'm not _just_ humoring you." The Prince says. He frowns heavily at her new position. That second pawn is supporting the first, again stopping his attack. "It helps my stress too."

"Really? I thought you only did it for my sake." Robin admits. "I mean, that first time you clearly had no idea what you were doing, so I figured you were giving up your first just to help me out."

"Ah, so it was that obvious."

"Well yeah. You looked pretty panicked for the first few minutes and you tired out real quickly." She says with a bit of a smile. "I felt kinda bad, like I might have pressured you into it by accident."

"No, I was fine with it." Chrom chuckles. "Though admittedly that was the most nervous I've been my entire life."

"Did I set your heart racing?" She teases.

"Yes." The Prince says bluntly. "Thought at that point I was a bit enamored with the fact that you're an angel, which probably added to my nerves."

"Ah, well, it's not _that_ significant that I'm an angel." Robin mumbles. "A few minors powers and healing hands is all I get."

"Yeah, I know." Chrom says.

"Check by the way." Robin says, moving her bishop through the spaces cleared by her two earlier pawn moves.

"Fuck."

"Later, right?"

"Haha, very funny… and yes, fine, after this."

###

"Don't worry little one, I can heal it." Robin soothes, placing a hand on the little girl's knee. He palm glows a faint gold light, matching the color of her eyes, and the healing light knits the child's skin back together.

It's only a scrape, but Robin's healing powers never run out unlike staves, so she can afford to use it constantly if she wants. That said, her healing powers are fairly minor to begin with so this is probably one of the few uses for it. Anything more than surface wound is too severe for her to heal properly.

"Now run along." The tactician encourages, shooing off the child. The little girl runs to her mother, hiding behind the lady's dress. The mother gives them a tentative smile, still a bit nervous about these strangers in their town, and scurries off to continue her errands.

Robin sighs tiredly as she stands back up. Chrom pats her reassuringly on the shoulder. "Running out of energy?"

"Gods yes." She says, massaging her forehead. The girl glances to each side, verifying that there is no one immediately listening to them. "I'm done with this town. I want to get back to Ylisstol." Robin says in a low voice

Chrom laughs quietly. "You can me both. The defences are almost set up, we'll leave tomorrow afternoon. You didn't have to help every small injury you spotted though."

"Yeah, but good impressions and all that." Robin grumbles. "We Shepherds have a reputation to upkeep."

"Thank you for being conscious of our status." Chrom smiles. "We're almost done here."

"And then we move on to the _next_ town." She moans.

"Well yes, it's our job." The Prince says. "When the Risen threat is gone we can rest, but until then we must remain vigilant."

"I know, I know." Robin sighs. "But that doesn't mean it isn't annoying."

Chrom can't argue with that. "Yeah, it is."

###

Robin is getting frustrated. Months and months of travelling from village to village, building defences, fighting Risen… that's fine, but it's boring, annoying, and stressful, and worst of all: she doesn't have access to her usual stress relief.

She and Chrom can't meet up on the road or while they're in a village because all the other Shepherds are around, and they aren't exactly aware of her and Chrom's arrangement. It's hardly illegal, but there's a distinct chance Frederick will frown upon it, and it would tarnish Robin's reputation if the council were to get wind on it.

Not that Robin really cares, but it does annoy her a bit that Chrom would suffer no consequence for a bit of fun on the side while Robin, purely because she's a girl, would be looked down upon. Damn assholes.

Anyways, she's a bit pent up at the moment, and keeping this fake smile on her face is such a _hassle_. Robin has to keep it up both around strangers _and_ the Shepherds. The only time she can let it drop is in battle (which is a stress of its own), alone at night in her tent, or those few moments she has alone with Chrom.

Those moments are increasingly spent on tactics though. There's so little time for anything else they can't even sneak in a game of chess.

What's even worse than all that is that Robin can't vent to anyone _other_ than Chrom. She's an angel, she's supposed to be the cheery upbeat one who never lets _anything_ get her down _,_ _never_ swears, and certainly _never_ thinks about anything _impure_.

Maybe she should have never played into the stereotype in the first place. She's really regretting it now. Then she could vent to someone else at least. She still wishes she and Chrom weren't so busy though, even if they can't roll in the hay she enjoys his company.

"Rooobin!" Lissa calls, it sounds like she's right outside Robin's tent flap. The angel quickly shoves a smile on her face, and tries not to snarl at the intrusion.

"Yes? Come in." The Tacitican says. She sits up from where she was lying in her bedroll to watch the cleric slip inside the tent. "It's late Lissa, what brings you here?" Robin asks pleasantly.

"Well, uh…" The blonde-haired girl smiles nervously. "So things have been really busy for the last while, right?"

"Indeed they have." Robin says. Internally she's growling at Lissa to not beat around the bush. "How are you holding up?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine." She coughs. "So, uh, I have a question."

"Yes…?"

"So I know you both have been busy, but are you avoiding each other…?" Lissa asks tentatively.

Robin blinks in surprise. "What makes you think that?"

"Well you two used to hang out all the time at night. Chrom would always come home or you'd always leave really late." The girl says. "And for the last month you guys just haven't."

The Tactician is genuinely surprised that Lissa noticed this. She must pay a quite a bit of attention to her brother. "We need to get good sleep, so we can't spend time together so late."

"Sure, sure." Lissa says, visibly nervous. "But Chrom's been really stressed and tired lately, and you're looking a bit strained even right now."

Robin smile falters for a second, but only a second. She forces it back onto her face as quickly as she can. "Well I am a bit tired myself."

"No, no…" The cleric says hesitantly. "I know you're putting on a mask Robin."

The Tactician doesn't bother to keep the smile up after hearing that. "When did you figure that out?"

"You been acting upbeat the entire time for the last few months and _never_ frowning or anything. It's unnatural." Lissa admits. "I know those stereotypes about angels and all, but I don't think you can actually be happy _all_ the time."

"And you'd be right." Robin sighs. "It's tiring to keep that smile up all the time."

"So anyways, you and Chrom _aren't_ avoiding each other?"

"No, we aren't."

"Okay, you're both just really busy?"

"Yes."

"Okay! Leave it to me!"

"Leave _what_ to you?"

"I'm going to make sure you two have time to hang out, cuz' you're both getting stressed and stuff!"

"You really don't need to." Robin says tiredly. Lissa has a tendency to pull pranks, she isn't what Robin would call trustworthy. The Tactician doesn't want the Cleric dabbling in their relationship. "We'll manage on our own."

"Yeah, no you won't." Lissa scoffs. "You two will work yourselves to the bone without saying anything. You have no say in this, I'm getting you two free time."

The Tactician sighs and flops down onto her bed. "Fine, whatever. As long as there's no one else around. It's annoying to keep up the smile."

"So Chrom knew you weren't smiley already!?"

"He's known for _months_ Lissa."

"And he didn't tell me? Rude…"

###

It's been so long since the two of them have been able to spend time together, he really should thank Lissa for forcing him to take the night off. It's nice to finally be able to relax again…

"Checkmate!"

...even if he can't win a single game he plays with the resident tactician.

"You never change Chrom." Robin laughs, flicking over his king. "You always focus on one point."

"Yes, well, not all of us are master tacticians." The Prince huffs as the girl puts away the chess set.

"Hey! Don't go there!" The girl says, playfully glaring at him. "I get enough people thinking I can do anything because I'm a tactician already!"

"Fuck them?"

"Exactly!"

Chrom chuckles. "It would seem you never change either."

"Yeah yeah…" She mumbles, putting the little chess set into a pouch. "By the way, I figured out how to do something a month ago or so."

"What?"

"I can do this." Robin concentrates for a moment… and nothing happens. "Uh, can you put out those candles?"

Chrom does as she asks, extinguishing the candles giving them light. When all of them ar put out, he turns back to Robin and blinks in surprise. "You glow?"

The girl has a faint aura of golden light around her, she smirks triumphantly. "Cool huh?"

"How'd you figure it out?"

"Was reading through this book on 'human-like races' and found the angel section. Apparently some of us can temporarily enchant weapons." Robin hums. "No luck on that yet, but I managed this glowing thing with only a little practice."

"Wow…"

"No real practical use for it though." She snorts. "It's not that bright, so I can't work as a torch."

"That's still quite interesting." Chrom says. "Any other powers of interest?"

"Yes actually. Angels can supposedly manifest wings and fly around for a bit." She recounts. "Oh, and we can 'bless' people. From what I can tell that just means they get a bit of a magic buzz."

"Like being drunk?"

"Sorta, but it doesn't turn you into a moron." Robin chuckles. "At least not from what I can tell."

"Odd."

"Yep."

The two sit in relatively comfortable silence for a few minutes, relaxing and observing Robin's new aura of light. Robin is the first to speak again.

"I would have told you about this earlier, but we've been really busy."

"Indeed. There's barely time for a casual conversation." Chrom agrees. "I miss spending time with you-

"-but our jobs demand our attention." Robin finishes. "Yeah, it sucks. Fuck work."

The Prince has something he's been sitting on, and he decides now is as good a time as any to bring it up. "I've been thinking about our arrangement."

"Yeah?"

"I was thinking that I'd never really be able to court anyone so long as it stands, it wouldn't seem right."

Robin frowns. "You calling it off?"

"No, no." Chrom says hastily. "I was thinking through that situation, and realized that it wouldn't seem right because I'm already interested… in you."

The Tactician blinks. "Huh. Makes sense."

"Does it? I feel foolish just saying that aloud."

"Nah, it makes sense. Sex is intimate after all, it's unsurprising." Robin shrugs. "It's the same for me too. There's a reason I haven't found someone else to roll around with during these last few months."

"We're both interested in each other?"

"I guess so."

"And we have sex regularly, or at least _had_ it before this war business."

"Yes…?"

"It sounds like we're already married."

Robin takes a second to consider it. "Yeah, I suppose it does." She glances to him. "Is that a proposal?"

"Maybe? Are you okay with that?"

"Sure, why not? You're nice enough."

"What a ringing endorsement." Chrom rolls his eyes.

"Hey, your proposal wasn't exactly the stuff of romance novels either." She huffs.

"Would you prefer I drop to one knee?"

"Actually no, that would be weird. Let's just have sex or something."

Chrom laughs, he's not surprised. "Of course you'd say that, but there are other tents nearby and we have to get up early tomorrow."

"You just _proposed_ , you can stand being a bit tired tomorrow. We'll be quiet." She scoffs.

"Fair enough." Chrom chuckles. "But you are _not_ glowing the whole time."

"Fine…"

* * *

 **Before you ask,** _ **no**_ **, I didn't come into this expecting it to be about sex. That decision happened after the first section was entirely her swearing at everyone and then I decided she spent time with Chrom for stress relief.**

 **I considered having Robin be a pact creature again and rely on making a deal with Chrom. I also considered giving Chrom dreams of Robin his entire life, only for her to appear one day when the Shepherds were in crisis. In the end, not writing their introduction at all (and implying it was fairly standard) turned out to be a lot easier.**

* * *

 **Mram99** **:** No to WereGrima because it's just Grima Robin but less so, Future Sight Robin is fine but low priority, Telepath/Empath Robin is just an alteration of Mirroreye so no as well. Thanks for the ideas though. I like F!Robin more too, the only reason M!Robin is here is because I told myself that if I wanted to do a whole collection on Robin I should probably include both genders.

 **Darkness is complete** **:** I really like the idea (and it's been suggested before BTW), but I frankly have no idea how I'm going to do it. I suppose I'll worry about that when it comes around.

 **Guest** **:** Unfortunately if I'm going to make a full series of anything it won't be that. There's so many idea here I'd love to make into full stories but I don't have time for them all.

I already have a story in the works anyways… well, bits and pieces of one. Characters are easy, plot is hard. That's why I do well at this collection but am sorta mediocre at larger stories. My hope was to inspire _others_ to write these ideas into proper stories, so the hope is people more competent than me will pick up a few ideas and run with them.

 **Teh Esprite :** Well Fire Emblem is medieval, so cellphones aren't a thing. Most of these Robins are about eighteen or twenty, so if you count eighteen as 'teenager' then most of the Robins already _are_ teenagers. If you want younger… not much is going to change. There's surprisingly little difference between sixteen and eighteen except maybe being less moody, and any younger we dip into Robin being maybe too young to fight, like Ricken.


	29. Gambler Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **I think I'm going to start posting the categories at the start each chapter from now on. As another note, any suggestions** _ **not**_ **on the list are not there because I won't consider them at all. This can be because the suggestion simply does not fit with the Fire Emblem world or because I don't know enough to even fit it into the Other or Unlikely categories (like Sith, Ultraman, and Yokai).**

 **So, to remind you: Minor suggestions are too small to hold a story of their own but are otherwise valid, Standard suggestions are valid and can** _ **probably**_ **hold their own, Unlikely suggestions are difficult for at least one of many reasons (which I won't go over right now because it'll make this A/N far too long), and Other suggestions are valid but not for this collection.**

 **Minor: Dark Flier, Regenerating, Immortal, Boxer (Pugilist).**

 **Standard: Elemental, Deaf, Foreign, Alien, Future sight, Tiny, Nurse/Medic, Valmese Tactician, Medusa, Goddess, Racer, Amazon, Genderfluid, Slime, Gift from Validar + evil to good, Mind Control, Banshee, Bard, Consistent Amnesia, Old, Dancer, Mimic, Lamia, Emotionless, Khan, Savage, Crippling Overspecialization (Idiot Savant), Coward, ESP, PTSD, POW, Magician, Mute, Handicapped, Secret Helper, Crazy.**

 **Unlikely: Chrom's child, Minotaur, Paladin, Werewolf, Assassin, Future Soldier, Bounty Hunter, Weather control, Kleptomaniac, Druid, Steampunk, Shadow Familiar, Magic Augmentation, Lucky, Exile, Piper (Charmer), Gladiator, Witch Doctor, Centaur, Headless Horseman, Drunk, Demon.**

 **Other: Pokemon Trainer, Self-insert, Second Generation replacement.**

 **This chapter was originally going to be Demon Robin, but halfway through I realized it had nothing to do with him being a demon at all and just focused on the secondary gimmick. Still a good chapter though I think. Pastapopulous, this should fit your request for a manipulative Robin.**

* * *

Olivia nervously walks through the camp, trying to find her tent. The instructions from Chrom rattle around in her mind. "Around the mess hall, past the fire pit… oh dear, where's the fire pit? I just passed the mess hall right? Oh no…"

A hand drops onto her shoulder. "You look like you could use a bit of fun." A voice says, sounding slightly sinister to Olivia's ears.

"EEEK!" The dancer spins around, taking rapid steps away from the figure. "Wh-Who-?"

"Name's Robin." The black-haired man says, grinning sleazily. His red eyes twinkle in amusement as he extends a hand for a handshake. "Robin Tealeaf, master tactician, expert gambler, professional dealmaker."

Olivia does _not_ trust this man, but she recognizes the name Robin from her conversation with Chrom so she nervously shakes his hand. "Y-You're the tactician?"

"Indeed I am! And you're Olivia, aren't you? The dancer from Basilio, right?" Robin says. His eyes roam her body, and the dancer shies away as soon as she pulls her hand free. "You look a bit lost, hmm? A bit tense? I have a solution for both of those things!"

"I-It's really fine-"

"I know where your tent is." He says, and slips a hand into his pocket. He pulls out a single six-sided die. "But I'm feeling a bit starved for entertainment, so I'll offer you a deal."

"A d-deal?"

"You roll this die. If you get a four, five, or six, I'll tell you where your tent is without hassle." The man whispers, looking sinisterly eager. "But if you get a three, two, or one, then you have to show me one of your dances. It doesn't matter how short the dance is though."

Chrom had warned her the Shepherds were colourful, but Olivia was _not_ expecting something like this. However, either way she gets to know where her tent is, so maybe she should just humor the strange man. "A-Alright…"

She accepts the die nervously and rolls it in her palm. The dancer tosses it onto the floor, hoping for an easy six.

Four.

Robin, strangely, does not look disappointed at all. In fact he looks overjoyed. "My! You're a _lucky_ one aren't you? Follow me little dancer, I'll show you the way."

The tactician strides off in the general direction Olivia was heading before, and the dancer follows behind him. They move past several more canvas tents, one of which is quite large. Robin informs her that it's the mess hall. Eventually they reach a ring of tents with a small clearing, and the tactician gestures to a specific one near the entrance.

"That's yours." He says. "This is where the women of the camp are set up. The men are on the other side of the mess tent." The sleazy man gives a sweeping bow, grinning cheekily up at her. "Goodnight little dancer, I'll see you tomorrow…"

Olivia watches until the man walks out of sight near the mess tent. She sighs in relief, and steps into the tent he pointed out.

"Hi there!"

"EEEEK!"

Olivia jumps in surprise, pracing away from the small girl sitting on a bedroll.

"Hey, that's rude." The girl pouts, puffing up her cheeks. "I was just saying hello. You're Olivia right? I'm Nowi! We're tentmates now!"

The dancer releases a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. Of course there are shared tents, this is a military unit, they need to conserve space. Walking with Robin must have put her on edge. She forces herself to calm down, takes a seat on the other bedroll, and starts getting to know her tentmate.

###

"Hello little dancer…" Robin greets the next morning as they all pile into the mess hall. "Sleep well?"

It's an innocuous question, but coming from the Tactician's mouth it sounds sinister and probing. Olivia smiles back at him despite feeling anxious. "Y-Yes, quite well."

"Good, good…" He says, grinning eerily. "I'll see you at training."

The man steps away, and Oliva relaxes a bit. She accepts her plate of food from a bubbly blonde-haired girl and quickly finds a seat away from the others. Nowi is quick to take a seat next to her, but another person, a bulky man also with blond hair, takes his own seat at the tale too.

"Hey there." The man says, grinning at her. "Name's the Vaike, nice to meet 'cha."

"H-Hello, I'm Olivia." The dancer says timidly.

"So, uh, I saw you were chattin' with Robin." Vaike says, getting serious. "You know him?"

"N-Not really, we talked for the first time yesterday." Olivia stammers.

"Well I'm warning ya to avoid him." The man cautions. "Robin's a piece of work. Tries to trick ya into deals. Don't play around with him, yeah?"

"O-Oh…"

"He's magic. If you make a deal, he can _force_ ya to go through with it." Vaike warns. "So don't deal with him if ya can afford not to."

"Okay." Olivia squeaks. Her mind races back to last night when she rolled the die. If she lost, he could have _forced_ her to dance? That's terrifying, she'll have to be careful around him from now on.

"Hey, that's mean." Nowi huffs. "Robin's super friendly! He rolls dice with me for candy!"

"He's teaching you to gamble?" Olivia says worriedly.

"Well he told me that I should be careful gambling money." The girl chirps. "That's why we used candy, but he said you should always have a limit of money you're willing to lose and stop playing as soon as you hit that."

"That's good advice." The dancer murmurs, remembering when she heard something similar from Basilo once.

"Yeah, so maybe he gives half-decent advice every once in a while, but you should still avoid the man." Vaike says.

###

Robin thinks the Shepherds are amusing. They're colorful, and not in the boring way people at gambling parlours are 'colorful'. They're not just wearing fancy coats and lots of jewelry, the Shepherds are genuinely quirky, they're weird and not _normal_ , and Robin loves that. It makes them fun to watch and fun to toy with.

He still remembers when he baited Vaike into a deal, Robin offered to give the man advice to beat Chrom is sparring if Vaike could win a game of blackjack (best two of three), but if Vaike lost the man had to volunteer for Miriel's endurance investigations.

The blond man lost, _badly_. Robin enjoyed seeing him exhausted for the entirety of the next week. Unfortunately the man never agreed to gamble against him again, which was a shame because Robin thought it was great fun. The Tactician even offered gambles that were much less severe, but the man hasn't bit.

That's why the Tactician is a bit amused to see Vaike warning off their new member. The man is trying to stop Robin's fun. Oh, how cute. Robin does enjoy a little challenge.

Robin watches Vaike and Olivia from his seat next to Chrom. He grins when he notices Nowi speaking up, presumably to defend Robin's honor. The manakete is a fun girl, always up for a game. The Tactician hasn't made any drastic deals with her so far, where Vaike was a bit of an annoyance due to how egotistical he seemed, Nowi is friendly and nice and Robin doesn't want to make a bad impression on her. The girl also agrees to play cards all the time which Robin really appreciates.

"What are you looking at Robin?" Chrom asks. He's feigning curiosity, but Robin knows the Prince is actually wary. Robin has a reputation for causing trouble, so the Prince tries to keep an eye on him. _Tries_ to. Chrom is usually too busy to actually track what Robin is doing though.

"Our new recruit." Robin hums in amusement. "It would seem Vaike is trying to warn her off of me."

"As he should." Chrom snorts. "That's what you get for messing with people."

The Tactician just chuckles and says nothing. This is going to be fun, so he isn't concerned.

###

"Ah, little dancer, there you are!" Robin says, waving to her from his seat around a fire. He had a deck of cards in front of him on a small table, and seems to be playing a game by himself. "So, I've heard from a little dragon that you're looking to save money for your own theater…"

"Of course Nowi would tell you…" Olivia sighs.

"She's very eager to gush about her new friend." Robin chuckles. He picks up the cards and shuffles them back together. "Anyways, I have an offer."

Olivia immediately becomes wary, remembering Vaike's warning. "No."

"You won't even _hear_ my offer, I'm hurt." The man says, putting a hand to his chest with feigned offense. "How rude."

The dancer knows he's faking, but he also has a point. Surely Vaike was exaggerating about him, this man is part of the Shepherds so he can't be that bad right? "Alright, I'll listen…"

"It's just a small gamble to get some money." Robin offers, dealing out two hands of cards. "We'll play Crazy Eights. I'll offer up fifty gold if I lose, and you show me a dance if you lose."

"Fifty gold?!" The dancer squeaks in surprise. "Just to chance getting a dance?!"

"Of course." Robin grins. "I have money to spare, why _not_ offer some up for a good cause?"

Olivia frets in indecision for a minute, but ends up sitting across from the man. "Fine, but don't expect anything amazing from my dance!"

"Of course not." The Tactician says, still grinning. He's successfully snared her despite Vaike warning her off. Success. "Do you want to deal?"

"Yes please." Olivia says. It's not that she doesn't trust him to be truthful, but she'd still feel better having control of the deal. She deals out their cards, and flips one off the top of the deck.

The game is quick. Luck is not on the dancer's side, and her hand quickly gathers cards while Robin's depletes. In less than five minutes she has lost, and Robin places his last card on the pile.

"Well now, I win…" The man chuckles. He picks up his deck and shuffles the cards back together. Robin places the deck back in its pack, a small wooden box, and settles into his seat on the log. "What do you have to show me little dancer?"

Olivia quickly searches her brain for a simple dance. She settles on a dance that's basically just a practice routine. She takes a minute to stretch, very aware of Robin's eyes set firmly on her hers, and begins.

It only takes a minute. It's a slow move through basic positions that gradually increases pace as it moves on to the more complex ones. It finishes with a leap, a quick twist, and a flourishing bow.

Robin claps slowly, smirking in approval. "I see, a practice routine. Clever choice to avoid an actual dance."

That's not exactly what Olivia was aiming for, she was just trying to think of a short and easy dance. "Th-That wasn't my intent…"

"Of course, of course." Robin says, amused. He takes a small pouch out of a pocket, takes a dozen gold coins out, and offers them to her. "Here, for your theater."

"B-But I lost."

"Well yes, but the game was just to satisfy my boredom." The Tactician says dismissively. "I intended to give you the money either way."

Olivia isn't sure how she feels knowing this entire exchange was mostly pointless, but she decides to be appreciative considering Robin just gave her some money for her theater in exchange for a game and a practice routine. "Well… thank you?" She says nervously. "But, erm, unless there's something else you need I have things I want to do."

"Don't let me stop you then." The Tactician chuckles, shooing her off. "Go, be on your way."

Olivia nervously steps away, returning to her previous path. She glances back at the man after taking a few steps, but Robin seems to have settled down for a nap and isn't paying attention to her. The dancer shakes her head and moves off. What a strange man.

###

"You're what?" Olivia says, staring in shock.

"I'm married!" Nowi says excitedly, showing the dancer her new ring. Two two are sitting in their shared tent near dusk, with the little manakete having just arrived a minute ago. "To Robin!"

Olivia isn't sure what to make of that. Robin, the gambling man, married to Nowi, the ancient dragon that looks like a twelve year old. That doesn't sound quite right…

"You are, huh?" Olivia asks slowly. She isn't sure if she should be excited for the girl or nervous. "How?"

"We were playing our usual game for candy, and then he offered up a new gamble." Nowi recounts eagerly. "We each rolled a die, and whoever rolled higher got to ask a favour of the other."

"He won and forced you into it?" The dancer assumes, feeling disgust.

"What? No!" Nowi huffs. "He won, but he just asked to have lunch with me. He proposed during the meal, but I wasn't _forced_ into it!"

"Oh!" Olivia feels a bit sheepish. "Sorry. He just doesn't give the best impression so I assumed the worst…"

"Rude." Nowi pouts. "What's wrong with him?"

"Nothing, nothing!" The Dancer says hastily. "He's just sorta… suspicious, and I remember how Vaike warned me away from him."

"Vaike and Robin have _never_ gotten along from what I know." The manakete says, kicking her legs. "Robin gave him a particularly nasty gamble which Vaike lost, and they've been at odds ever since. That's what Sumia told me."

"I see…" Olivia mutters. If she really thinks about it, the most strange thing she's actually seen Robin do is ask for a dance (which could be misinterpreted as sorta… perverted) but otherwise he's been playful but harmless. He even gave her some gold despite her losing their gamble. "Well congratulations. I'm happy for you. You might have to keep him out of trouble though..."

###

"Little dancer, hello!" Robin greets, flipping a coin as he sits next to the training grounds. He looks a bit sweaty, but otherwise just as cocky as usual. "How fares your theater fund?"

"It's fine… slow going." Olivia says. She's pleased at how she doesn't feel nearly as nervous as she did before around the man. She glances around the open area. "Is Frederick here, he said he wanted to meet me here."

"He went off to grab a drink." The Tactician chuckles, snatching his coin out of the air. "So that means you have a moment, care for another game?"

"What are you offering this time?" The Dancer sighs, amused. "What do I have to give in return?"

"I'm offering more money of course!" The man laughs. "And for my victory… I want you to teach me."

"Pardon?"

"I want to learn a dance." Robin repeats. "Nowi has expressed interest, but I find myself lacking in skill."

Olivia really doubts Nowi will _care_ how well Robin can dance, but it's good to see that he's actually making an effort for his new wife. This is really a no-lose situation for her, so why not? "Sure. What's the game?"

"Well I'm presuming you don't have much time." Robin says, pulling out his deck. "So we'll do something quick. Each of us draws a card, aces are high, whoever pulls the highest card wins."

Robin pulls first, drawing the eight of hearts. Olivia goes next, drawing her own card… the eight of spades.

"My, a draw." Robin laughs. "How about we stay with that? I'll give you the money, and you give me the lessons."

"Sure." Olivia agrees. She accepts forty gold from the Tactician. "Can we meet this afternoon then?"

"Of course." The man nods. "My thanks little dancer." He glances behind her, and grins in amusement. "Here comes the iron terror, best of luck." Robin stands up, brushes himself off, and saunters away.

###

"Oh wow, I forgot you could do this." Nowi laughs in genuine amusement as her body stiffly rummages through her own pockets and pulls out a few candies she'd hidden there. The gamble had been for all the candy she had on her, and she'd only given her husband those she'd put on the table. The man had activated his powers, and the manakete's body started acting against her will to dig candy out of her pockets. "How did you know I had more on me?"

"You always have some candy in your pockets Dear, you're just as bad as Gaius." Robin chuckles, accepting the candy as it's dropped into the palm of his hand. "You can't fool me, I pay sharp attention to you."

"No fair!" The girl huffs as she finally regains control of her limbs. She's not actually mad of course, she finds this funny. "I don't sit around watching people all day like you, so I don't know what _you_ have!"

Robin grins lazily. "And that's precisely _why_ I lie around all day Dear. People watching is quite the hobby, you can learn a decent bit if you stop to look, and you're my _favourite_ to watch."

"I thought that was Olivia."

"Pardon?"

"You seem to deal with her quite a bit too. She's always telling me how you gamble money for dances."

"Ah, yes… the little dancer is good fun." Robin laughs, and shuffles the cards for their next game. "I haven't met anyone so willing to play since yourself."

"No one can beat me at playing!" Nowi brags.

"No one indeed." Robin agrees. "Though I'll have to be wary of my wallet. Perhaps I should stop offering her so much for so little…"

"You said you have a lot of money, right?"

"Well yes, but seeing as I don't have my own house or belonging or any sort beyond what you see here, we'll need quite the pretty bit of coin if we plan on settling somewhere."

"Won't Chrom let us stay in the barracks?"

"Well yes… but do you really want to live in the barracks your whole life?"

"Good point."

"Besides, I was thinking I wanted to open a casino, so I should be saving money for my own fund rather than donating to the little dancer's." Robin murmurs, dealing out new hands for another game of rummy. "But it's so hard to _not_ invite her to play, and the only thing I have to offer her is money…"

"Just offer candy!"

"Dear, I don't think she's going to humor me just for candy…"

"But candy's great! And Olivia is really nice!"

"Both true, but she has her own schedule. She can't be playing with me all the time like yourself."

"Good. I don't want her to. You're _mine_ … but sometimes is okay."

"Well I'll have to find something else to offer then." Robin chuckles. "Any suggestions?"

"Shiny things!"

"Those cost money Dear."

"Oh right… offer to teach her magic!" Nowi chirps

"Hmm, interesting idea." The Tactician nods. "I'll give it a try, thank you Dear."

"No problem! Now let's play another round. I bet I can beat you this time!"

"If you say so." Robin says teasingly, dropping a few candies on the table as his ante. "Do you even have anything to offer this time?"

The girl drops a smooth, shiny rock on the table that she'd found earlier that day. "Yep!"

"Well then, let's play."

* * *

 **This is a decent ending point. Robin didn't end up being nearly as mischievous as I'd planned. I sorta have a problem with actually making characters do anything even slightly malicious, much less evil. I just have a natural aversion to it for whatever reason. Still, I think this chapter is quite good.**

* * *

 **Mram99** **:** It would seem your favourites are the same as mine, I guess we have similar tastes. Your headcanon is pretty accurate by the way.

 **Atraxia Dragon** **:** Don't know Touhou, and I can't easily fit sith into the Fire Emblem universe either so that's a no go.

 **Zero kami no mu** **:** Goddess is seeming popular, it's a hard one though so it might be a bit before I find a way to make that work.

 **XenoEmblem4TW** **:** This chapter actually started out as Demon Robin (minus the possession/mind control, that's getting its own chapter at some point) but the demonic part of him became irrelevant compared to the secondary gimmick so I ditched it. I don't think I can really _do_ a Demon Robin, it's too similar to Vampire, Succubus, Robin of the Pact, and now this chapter.

I'm not sure this Robin is a troublemaker per say, but he's a bit more mischievous than the other versions we've seen so far.

 **Darkness is complete** **:** Sure, emotionless sounds fun. I might have an idea for that.

 **Mr. Martin** **:** I'll add that to the list, but that's a difficult one.

 **Guest** **:** Savage? Sure, I like it.

 **Teh Esprite** **:** Yeah… see the oldest cell phone is around the 1970s, the oldest gunpowder weapon is nearly as old as the _13th century_ , which is well in the medieval period. Besides, what's the point of a cell phone if no one else has one? Being a teenager doesn't count for much either, it just means you're a bit more emotional than an adult, that's basically it. Not that a teenager is inherently a bad idea, but it's a very minor modifier considering most Shepherds are already only twenty years old or so. Taking off a few years doesn't count for much.

 **IcyAltheon** **:** Sure, I'll call it 'Magic Augmentation'. That's a tough one to write though because it's _very_ combat-oriented and I'm not good at writing combat.

 **Serfius** **:** Renaming 'Idiot Savant' to 'Crippling Overspecialization' just so I remember what it actually means. Both ideas are fine.

 **anon** **:** Sure. Interesting idea, makes for a different sort of protagonist.

 **Ocharlos** **:** Yeah, Old Robin is already a suggestion.

 **Pastapopulous** **:** Well it's not a devil, but this Robin is a bit more or a manipulator. Hopefully this chapter satisfies.

 **Vanderspiegel** **:** Sure to all of those but Force Choke. Drunk, Exile, and Charmer (renamed Piper) are all Unlikely though.

 **Guest (X4) :** No to Headless Horseman, Centaur, Gladiator, and Witch Doctor are difficult, Demon has a few issues that probably stop it completely, but Medic, Pugilist (renamed to Boxer so I'll remember what it means), and crazy are fine.


	30. Lamia Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **I'm going to announce the official start of that other collection I keep mentioning I'd get around to: Varied Awakenings. Now, this is going to change my writing schedule, usually I did two chapters of this and one chapter of Five Stars within about every ten days, so Varied Awakenings is going to take up one of the chapters I'd usually spend on this story. Expect** _ **this**_ **story to update half as often.**

 **Oh, and Varied Awakenings doesn't have the first chapter out** _ **yet**_ **, give me a few days for that. Just thought I'd give those of you who care a heads-up. I won't be starting with any of the Other requests just to establish expectations of new readers before pulling out the strange ones like Pokemon Trainer and Second Generation replacement. Give me a few chapters before you see those, but you** _ **will**_ **see those.**

 **Minor: Dark Flier, Regenerating, Immortal, Boxer (Pugilist).**

 **Standard: Elemental, Deaf, Foreign, Alien, Future sight, Tiny, Nurse/Medic, Valmese Tactician, Medusa, Goddess, Racer, Amazon, Genderfluid, Slime, Gift from Validar + evil to good, Mind Control, Banshee, Bard, Consistent Amnesia, Old, Dancer, Mimic, Emotionless, Khan, Savage, Crippling Overspecialization (Idiot Savant), Coward, ESP, PTSD, POW, Magician, Mute, Handicapped, Secret Helper, Crazy, Respawn, Morpher, MPD, Dreamwalker, Motherly.**

 **Unlikely: Chrom's child, Minotaur, Paladin, Werewolf, Assassin, Future Soldier, Bounty Hunter, Weather control, Kleptomaniac, Druid, Steampunk, Shadow Familiar, Magic Augmentation, Lucky, Exile, Piper (Charmer), Gladiator, Witch Doctor, Centaur, Drunk, Demon, Punk, Harpy, Revenant.**

 **Other: Pokemon Trainer, Self-insert, Second Generation replacement.**

 **Kamencolin's request: Lamia. I've been wanting to get to this for a while.**

* * *

" _This would certainly make for a good story,_ " thought Stahl, passing another slab of meat to the girl sitting across the fire from him. The girl in question: a purple-haired lamia with similarly colored scales and eyes, and a surprisingly well-kept longcoat. She bites down into the meal, easily tearing the meat apart with her sharp teeth.

Stahl was just on patrol when he found the girl, named Robin, starving along the side of the road. The cavalier, of course, stopped to help her, and that's how he found himself sharing lunch with an amnesiac lamia.

Lamia are rare compared to other demi-humans, usually living in the Plegian desert sands in small tribes. They aren't exactly known for associating with large civilizations, so it's surprising to see one out here in Ylisse, especially dressed in Plegian garb.

Robin can really eat though. Stahl always takes a lot of food with him to satisfy his cravings, but this girl is totally cleaning out his rations in this one meal. Maybe that massive snake tail takes a lot of energy to maintain. That tail is basically pure muscle right? It's twice as long as her upper body!

"So, you're a Shepherd?" The girl grunts, wiping her mouth with a handkerchief. "In full armor…?"

"The Shepherds is the name of our military unit." Stahl chuckles. "I'm a knight."

"Ah, that makes more sense." Robin says. "By the way, I have another question."

"Yes?"

"What should I do?" She asks bluntly. "I have no memories, no idea where I am, and you're the only person I've met so far. How am I supposed to _live_ …?"

"Well…" Stahl's mind races. That's a very good point. "How about you come with me? I'm sure I can help you find lodgings and maybe a job…"

The girl nods eagerly. "Thank you! I'm glad for the help."

It turns out that Robin is actually rather swift. When they leave she easily keeps pace with a trotting horse, slithering along the dirt path with relative ease. They make good pace back to Southtown, the sun is only _just_ starting to set when they crest a hill and the town comes into sight.

The _smoking_ , _burning_ town.

"Oh crap." Stahl mutters, yanking his bronze sword from its sheath. "Uh, sorry, I have to deal with this."

" _We_ have to deal with this." Robin corrects, pulling a weapon of her own from her back. Stahl hadn't paid it much mind before, but the girl actually had a harpoon with a sturdy chain attached to the shaft over her back, the chain of which she also wraps around her hand. "I know how to fight… I think."

"Well it's your own choice." Stahl says, and kicks his horse into a gallop. "Let's go!"

The two barrel down the hill, making all haste for Southtown. Stahl spots some civilians fleeing down the road or to the treeline, those fleeing down the road are pursued by bandits. The cavalier curses, and spurs his horse into a sprint.

Stahl swings his sword at head height as he passes by a brigand, severing the man's head from his shoulders. Robin's harpoon rattles through the air beside him, impaling an unfortunate attacker. She then yanks the chain back, pulling the impaled man towards her, and wraps her tail around his chest. There's a brutal crunching noise as she tightens her coils enough to break his ribs and she wrenches her harpoon free of his corpse, still dripping blood from the tip.

The two move on to the city after dispatching the brigands outside. The smoke gets a few coughs out of Stahl, and Robin squints against the bright light of the fires. The cavalier does spot something good though.

"Captain!" Stahl shouts, catching the blue-haired man's attention. He rides up alongside Chrom, falling into combat next to him. "How are we doing?"

"The attack started an hour ago, we've been trying to push them out with limited success." The man grunts. "Glad to see you made it back safely from patrol."

"I found a friend." Stahl informs him. As if on cue Robin's harpoon jams itself into a nearby archer, and the girl makes quick work of the man by smashing his skull with a quick lash of her tail.

"I sense a story here." The Prince says, scanning for his nearby foes. "Later though. I got separated from Frederick and Lissa, we need to find them. Sully should be returning here soon too, so we need to make sure she doesn't arrive to a bandit ambush."

"Got it. Robin!" Stahl shouts, grabbing her attention. "We're looking for a blue knight and a cleric in a yellow dress! We also need to keep a lookout for a red cavalier approaching the village, she's an ally!"

"Understood!" She calls back, wiping her weapon clean on the dead archer's clothes. "Who's the blueberry?"

Chrom doesn't seem to know if he should be offended or amused. Stahl answers for him. "My Captain, Chrom."

"Ah, hello then Captain." Robin nods politely. Her eyes dart around the opening as she speaks, still watching for more bandits. "I'm Robin, my harpoon is at your service."

"Glad to have your help." Chrom greets quickly. "Now let's get moving, I want to find the others quickly."

###

"You never told me you were a tactician." Stahl chuckles as the Shepherds bed down for the night just off the side of the road.

"Well to be fair, I only discovered it myself just then." Robin grunts, biting into her portion of bear meat. It turns out lamias require a large amount of protein in their diet so she got the lion's share (snake's share?) of the bear Chrom and Frederick managed to catch. Stahl is a bit envious, he finished his own portion all too quickly.

"Tactics always went over my head." The cavalier admits. "It's too much to remember at one time."

"I does require keeping a lot of variables in mind at once." Robin says. "And you don't strike me as someone with incredible observation skills."

"I don't?"

"The _first_ thing Frederick and Sully pointed out was that I have a grimleal cloak. Chrom noticed it too but ignored it because you said I was a friend. _You_ are the only one who didn't notice I was openly displaying a sign I might be an enemy." The girl says bluntly.

"Okay, so maybe I'm a _bit_ scatterbrained." Stahl coughs.

"A bit, hmm?" Robin says, and shakes her head. "Sure…"

"Hey now, can we not focus on that?" Stahl asks pleadingly. "I get enough ribbing from Sully as is!"

"Alright, alright." The tactician smirks. "Shall we focus on how you're staring at my food then?" She pointedly holds the plate _away_ from the green knight. " _Mine_."

The cavalier sighs. "I'm hungry though…"

"You already had seconds! How can you _still_ be hungry?" She scoffs.

"Says the one who took half the food!"

"Hey, I need a lot more food than a human does!" Robin protests. "I've got a _snake_ for a lower body! This is all muscle, it takes up a lot of energy!"

"But I'm hungry too!" Stahl whines.

The lamia sticks out her tongue at him and pointedly takes a large bite out of the meat on her plate, she's sure to exaggerate the motion and show just how much she's enjoying the food.

"Stooop." The cavalier groans. "You're not helping!"

"You bet I'm not." Robin grins. "Get your own."

"I shared with you earlier today! Doesn't that count for something?" Stahl pleads.

"Oh, so you're holding _that_ over my head now?" She huffs.

"If you'll give me more food, yes." The cavalier says honestly.

"Glad to know you have your morals straight." Robin says dryly. Stahl looks at her hopefully, and she gives him a wicked smile. "Too bad I don't care."

"Nooo!" Stahl wines, trying to grab at her plate as she rapidly scarfs down the food. "Give me something! Anything! Just a little!"

"It's all mine!" The girl cackles, and triumphantly puts the last forkful of food in her mouth.

"What the hell are you two doing?" Sully calls over, and at this point both Robin and Stahl realize that _everyone else_ is watching their conversation.

The green cavalier shrinks back sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. The lamia has no such reservation and grins victoriously. Through a mouthful of food, she says: "I'm _winning_."

###

"I come bearing gifts." Robin says, coiling up next to Stahl. She can't really sit on anything, so instead she curls her tail into tube and rests her upper body on the top when she wants to mimic the action. She opens a cloth bag to reveal at least two dozen muffins inside.

"How can I refuse?" Stahl says, eagerly grabbing two out of the bag. "Ooh, is this blueberry?"

"Yep. Good ain't it?"

"Heavenly." Stahl moans, biting into the warm treat.

"I realized I bought too many and they won't stay warm. Figured you'd eat some." She says, taking one for herself. "I'm disappointed this town doesn't have meat pie though."

"Ooh, that _would_ be good." The cavalier agrees. "I keep an eye out a the next town we visit."

"Assuming it isn't burned down or abandoned because of a Risen invasion."

"I was trying to stay optimistic…"

"Right, right, my bad." Robin coughs. "Of course, it'll go just fine. We'll find some great pie."

"And more muffins."

" _And_ more muffins."

"And some cheese, a little bit of wine, some fresh fruit… oh, some honey to glaze the pie would be nice..."

"There is such a thing as _excessive_ optimism Stahl."

###

"You're surprisingly light." Robin says cheerily. It's a sharp contrast to what she's actually doing, which is stopping him from falling down a cliff to his death. He's dangling over the edge with Robin's tail wrapped tightly around his chest. The girl is curled tightly around a tree, keeping herself anchored as she pulls him back up.

"Or you're just really strong." Stahl rasps, spitting out blood. "Is my horse…?"

"It ran off back towards the convoy." The lamia responds. "I think it had an arrow in it's flank, but it was moving just fine."

"Not too bad then." The cavalier coughs.

"Unlike you." Robin scolds. "What the hell were you thinking charging into half a dozen axemen on your own?"

"I had a sword…"

"Weapon triangle doesn't compensate for stupidity Stahl." Robin scolds. She stretches her hands out, managing to grab the man under the arms and properly pull him onto solid ground. Stahl hisses in pain as his rips scrape the cliff edge, and the cuts on his chest flare up in pain. "Here's a concoction, next time listen to orders."

"Donnel was in danger." Stahl protests weakly, accepting the drink. "I _had_ to move in."

"Kellam was with him Stahl."

"Really?"

"Yes! Didn't you hear my instructions to everyone?"

"I may have been thinking about muffins…"

"Maybe your food obsession really _will_ be the end of you someday then." Robin scolds.

"Robin, Stahl! Wyvern riders incoming from our rear!" Chrom shouts from up ahead. The tactician looks up, and finally notices a redheaded pegasus knight giving her report to the Captain. "Robin, orders!"

"Fuck, get up." The girl grunts, forcing Stahl to his feet. "Chrom, Frederick, Sully, to the back! Virion, Miriel, Ricken, be prepared to fire on them as soon as you can see them! Everyone else keep pushing forwards! Keep those brigands away so the others can deal with those wyverns!"

The Shepherds scramble to reposition. Chrom, Frederick, and Sully need to move from the front line to the back lines, and the rest of the Shepherds split down the middle to give them a quick path. Kellam, Lon'qu, and Vaike fight doubly hard to fill in for their absence, trying to beat back the renewed tide of axemen trying to break through their newly weakened line.

"Can you fight?" Robin asks, letting Stahl stand on his own two feet.

"I need another swig." He coughs, motioning towards her concoction. "If you don't mind…"

The girl allows him another drink. The cavalier stands upright with a grimace, but grabs his secondary weapon, a bronze lance, from off his back. His iron sword got knocked away when he fell off the cliff.

"Alright." He says, still looking a bit ill. "Let's do this."

###

"Kicking me while I'm down, are you?" The cavalier chuckles weakly.

"Oh, so you _don't_ want one of Sumia's pie?" Robin asks, smirking. "Fine, I'm sure someone else-"

"No, no, I do, I do!" Stahl says eagerly. "Gods, it's been too long since I had good food."

"You'd been sick for two days Stahl, that's not very long." The tactician says dryly, handing him a slice of the pie on a plate.

"How'd you know today was the day I was allowed to start eating normal food again?"

"I asked Lissa of course." Robin snorts. "I figured just eating infirmary food was like torture to you."

"Gods, it _was_." Stahl says, his voice slightly muffled through a mouthful of pie. "Nothing but chicken soup and bread… is this strawberry?"

"Yep." The lamia nods. She puts the pie down on a little table next to him, and then pulls out a small bag. Stahl knows this is where she keeps her own snacks; usually dried meat to satisfy her primarily carnivorous diet. Just as expected she pulls out some salted rabbit and starts chewing on it as they talk.

"Aren't you having some?" Stahl asks, motioning towards the pie.

"Nah." She grunts. "It's yours. Sumia made it for you, I just delivered it."

"Oh, that's nice of her." Stahl mumbles, a bit surprised. He doesn't know Sumia very well, so he's surprised she made anything for him. Then again she seems nice enough, so maybe she makes pies for _anyone_ who gets sick?

"Isn't it?" Robin says. "They're good pies, aren't they?"

"Very." The cavalier agrees. "I'll have to thank her later."

###

"Pardon?" Stahl blinks, surprised.

"It wasn't _my_ idea." Sumia admits, smiling. "Robin requested I bake one for you."

" _Since she can't cook_." The cavalier fills in mentally. Robin has cooked a grand total of _one_ time for the camp, and then was quickly put on the same list as Sully for 'never let her do this again'. "Oh, well that's nice… still, thank you for the pie. It was very delicious."

"You're welcome." She says.

Stahl waves goodbye and moves off to find their tactician. It takes a good twenty minutes of wandering around the camp before he finds her in the tactics tent. She's in a meeting, so he waits patiently outside until it finishes.

Eventually Chrom and Frederick file out, nodding absently to Stahl on the way. When Robin slithers out though, Stahl quickly stands up and greets her.

'Oh, hey Stahl." She says, surprised. "What's up?"

"You could have told me it was _your_ idea to make the pie." Stahl says.

Robin huffs. "Of course she'd reveal that. I told her _not_ to."

"Why?"

"Because that makes me look lazy! I _asked_ someone _else_ to make pie for you rather than doing it myself?"

"Will all respect… we both know your cooking isn't fantastic." Stahl coughs. "I appreciate you going to someone you know is _skilled_ at cooking."

"Well yeah, it would be a crappy gift if it tasted awful." She scoffs.

"I appreciate your consideration." The cavalier says. "No need to hide it though, it's not like I'd ever think you're lazy. You're the tactician! You keep everyone alive with your planning."

"Yeah yeah." Robin mumbles. "But it's annoying to admit that I had _someone else_ make _my_ gift. I didn't even buy it!"

"You didn't?"

"No! Sumia refused to let me pay for it!"

"Well that's not _your_ fault then."

"Look." She huffs. "I didn't want to admit I can't bake okay? Can we leave it at that?"

"Alright, alright." Stahl chuckles, finding this terribly amusing. "By the way, I hear the next city we're reaching is famous for its quality beef."

"Really?"

"Yep."

"Ooh… we'll have to get some. I think Chrom is going to give everyone a day to do what they want in the city."

"Food tour?" Stahl suggests, grinning.

"Food tour." Robin agrees.

###

"Stahl? Hey!" Robin's voice cuts through the haze on Stahl's mind. He blinks his eyes open, squinting against the little bit of sunlight that shines through the leaves above him. He can feel his head resting against something tough but flexible, like chainmail… or scales.

The tactician is lying in a coil under a tree, her lower half proving a (somewhat scaly) resting spot for Stahl's head and shoulders. She is looking down on him, holding the vulnerary she'd just used to revive him.

"Warn me if you're going to pass out next time." She scolds, pocketing the drink. "What happened? Heat stroke? Dehydration?"

"No, no…" The man mumbles, sluggishly moving up a hand to block his eyes and therefore the light intruding on his sensitive eyes. "Sick. Overdid it on the march yesterday."

"Then why did you come along!?" Robin huffs.

"We had plans. Food tour." Stahl says. Even he can feel the heat radiating off his forehead. "Wasn't this bad in the morning. Got worse after we left…"

"Well it was still a terrible choice to come along." The lamia says curtly, scowling at him. "You collapsed in the middle of the street!"

"Sorry…" Stahl mumbles. "I guess that means we didn't get those glazed ribs…?"

"I never said that." She scoffs, holding up a bread trencher with a slab of glazed meat on it. "I have your portion right here."

Even his sickness can't quell his hunger, and the cavalier reaches out to grab it. Robin holds it just out of reach.

"We're going back to camp after this." the lamia says firmly. "You're getting more rest."

"Sure, sure." The man says, still grabbing for the food.

"I mean it Stahl."

The cavalier sighs and nods. "Yes, I understand. Sorry for ruining the outing…"

"I'm more worried about your health than the food tour Stahl."

"Ah right." He coughs.

Robin shakes her head. "You always have food on the brain, it's absurd…"

"Hey, food is essential for life." The cavalier protests weakly.

"So is water, but I don't see you obsessing over that." The tactician scoffs.

"Water isn't tasty."

"Yeah, fair enough."

###

Stahl forgot about his food. He only realized it after Robin points it out, but he's barely touched his muffin for the last ten minutes. Usually he wouldn't have hesitated to scarf the whole thing down, but he's been so distracted in conversation that he totally forgot about it.

It happens again the next day, and again a few days later. The cavalier finds that he's eating less for once, his snacks are going from several times a day to just one or two. He finds himself less hungry in general, and starts to actively wait for his talks with Robin to eat so that they can share meals.

Stahl knows his eating obsession is mostly due to stress, that's no surprise. Sully trains, Miriel studies, Sumia does flower fortunes, Frederick does tons of chores, and Stahl eats. They're all coping mechanisms… and yet Stahl is finding he doesn't _need_ his as often anymore. He's just feeling better overall, and he knows exactly why.

Robin. Ever since that first meeting they had all those months ago, actually about a _year_ ago at this point, she's been a good friend to him. First it was just sharing food, but now she's really just become a close companion, someone he can go talk to whenever they're both free. She just puts him at ease… and he'd bet his boots she's why his mind hasn't constantly been on food for the last month.

Even though their conversations often turn to food, Stahl _still_ finds he cares more about the discussion than actually finding something to eat. It's just _fun_ to talk with her, which is something Stahl can't really say about the other Shepherds. Well, _sometimes_ he can, it's not like he doesn't enjoy chatting with the Captain or sparring with Sully, but Robin is the only one he can say is enjoyable to be around by default rather than needing an activity to spark his interest.

The cavalier would like to think he's not quite as bone-headed as he looks. He knows from watching Chrom and Sumia or even Maribelle and Ricken what the start of a relationship looks like: consistently seeking the other out during downtime and a general improvement in mood for both parties are the most obvious signs. He notices that in himself and Robin.

They won't be a couple today or tomorrow, maybe not in a month, but Stahl can definitely see it happening sometime in the future… and he looks forward to when that happens.

* * *

 **I expected to end this chapter on a proposal, but this seems more fitting. Definitely more of a slow-burn style for these two.**

* * *

 **Mram99** **:** Originally the power _was_ going to play more of a part, but I realized very quickly it didn't do much for the story and just focused on the gambling gimmick.

 **Darkness is complete** **:** If by chicken you mean coward, then that's already on the list. If you mean a literal chicken, then no. I'm find if you dump your ideas, just don't expect them all to be accepted.

 **SirHaloFan** **:** MPD Robin is an one that's been floating around for a while. It'll come up eventually. Destiny Robin (renamed Respawn Robin) is interesting enough. Maybe I'll have to take a leaf out of TheRepeat's hat with that one. Morpher Robin is fine, though it's nature as a combat-oriented quirk is going to make it harder to use.

 **The Restless Drifter** **:** Interesting, I like that idea.

 **DDD Hunter** **:** That would require me making up an entirely new faction and turning Robin into the enemy of the story, so no.

 **Guest (X3) :** No to Narrator, Unlikely to Punk, Harpy, and Revenant (since it's very close to Risen and Ghost), Mom is an interesting one though.


	31. Consistent Amnesia Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **The first chapter of Varied Awakenings is up. You'll start seeing some of those Other suggestions done there, as well as quirks applied to characters other than Robin, and whatever else crosses my mind.**

 **Minor: Dark Flier, Immortal, Boxer (Pugilist), Exploitive, Swordmaster.**

 **Standard: Elemental, Deaf, Foreign, Alien, Future sight, Tiny, Nurse/Medic, Valmese Tactician, Medusa, Goddess, Racer, Amazon, Genderfluid, Slime, Gift from Validar + evil to good, Mind Control, Banshee, Bard, Old, Dancer, Mimic, Emotionless, Khan, Savage, Crippling Overspecialization (Idiot Savant), Coward, ESP, PTSD, POW, Magician, Mute, Handicapped, Secret Helper, Crazy, Respawn, Morpher, MPD, Dreamwalker, Motherly, Lich, Twins, Regenerating, Sadist.**

 **Unlikely: Chrom's child, Minotaur, Paladin, Werewolf, Assassin, Future Soldier, Bounty Hunter, Weather control, Kleptomaniac, Druid, Steampunk, Shadow Familiar, Magic Augmentation, Lucky, Exile, Piper (Charmer), Gladiator, Witch Doctor, Centaur, Drunk, Demon, Punk, Harpy, Revenant, Luck Manipulation, Demon Summoner, Megalomaniac, Kitsune, King of Plegia, Mood Ring.**

 **Other: Pokemon Trainer, Self-insert, Second Generation replacement, Dimensional Walker.**

 **Consistant Amnesia as suggested by IsThisWorking.**

* * *

The man opens his eyes. The bed he's lying in is unfamiliar, the room is unfamiliar, _everything_ is unfamiliar. He stares blankly at the ceiling for a minute, trying to recall what happened… and he can't. He doesn't remember _anything_ : not what happened to him, not his past, not his parents, not his friends…

No, that's not true. He knows _some_ things. His name is Robin and he's a tactician. He likes reading, learning new things, and playing chess.

"My favourite color is purple." Robin murmurs to himself, sitting upright. "Color… my eyes are… brown. Yes, my eyes are brown, my hair is brown. It's long, right?" He reaches up to grab his hair, and finds it does indeed go down to the small of his back. "Right, okay…"

He looks around the room, squinting against the bright sunlight shining through the window. The room is rather small with a large bookshelf taking up an entire wall. There's a finely crafted hardwood desk and chair next to it, with a small peach-coloured couch lying just off to the side, and a small closet. He has a small side-table, also hardwood, and… there's paper and quill on it?

Robin picks up the papers and reads them quietly to himself. "Robin, please complete the following survey, and then wait in your room for an escort to breakfast. Based on your usual rising time, breakfast should occur approximately half an hour after you wake."

The paper is signed 'Miriel'. Robin doesn't recognize the name. The checklist is surprisingly long, nearly two pages of questions. Some are simple, like: "what is your favourite color?" And some are more complex and frankly odd, such as: "Please explain, in as much detail as possible, the Darwin's theory of evolution."

Robin is surprised to find he _does_ know a little about the theory. It's very minor, the only thing of significance he can recall is that when things reproduce they tend to pass on traits that do well because traits that _don't_ do well tend to get you killed. The tactician has a feeling that he doesn't even recall _half_ of the theory, because that seems far too simple for something that sounds so official.

At the end of the survey is another note. "Thank you for completing this survey. In order to ensure your responses were as unbiased as possible I withhold the following information from you: You are a chronic amnesiac, every morning you awake to find that you have forgotten your entire life. This information was withheld so that you did not feel compelled to feign improvement and therefor lie on the survey."

It's a very blunt note, with no apologies given for the deception. Robin doesn't feel particularly offended though, he can understand the logic behind the deception. This also helps explain a lot. Using this new knowledge Robin surmises that this room probably belongs to him. He expects that if he looks around he'll find clothes that fit him, the bookshelf will probably hold some strategy books, and he'll perhaps find a chess set stashed somewhere.

It's a bit disconcerting to think that he's probably had these exact same thoughts dozens of times before. He wonders if the him of yesterday was the same as he will be today. Maybe that man was cocky and arrogant, maybe he was timid and meek… or maybe he acts relatively the same every single time.

Maybe he shouldn't dwell on this. While he may feel like he's experiencing this for the first time he probably isn't, and seeing as he still has chronic amnesia he doubts those past bits of self-introspection have done him any good.

There's a knock on the door, and a female voice calls through it. "Robin, are you prepared for breakfast?"

Robin is about to say yes when he realizes he never actually got dressed. He's still in his nightclothes. "Just a moment."

The tactician moves quickly to the closet and pulls it open. All the outfits are identical: an intricate brown and gold longcoat, a plain white undershirt, thick beige pants, and sturdy brown boots. He puts on one of the outfits and moves to the door. Robin is very nervous about actually opening it, he knows that whoever this is will recognize him, but he won't recognize _them_.

Taking a deep breath, Robin opens the door.

"Good morning Robin, how does the day find you?" A red-haired lady with greyish-blue eyes, glasses, and bulky robes greets him.

"Well enough." Robin says cordially. "You're here to escort me to breakfast."

"Indeed. First though, I must enquire if you completed the survey found on your table." She says calmly. It sounds rehearsed, like she's done this dozens of times before.

"Yes I did." Robin nods. "Do you need it?"

"I would appreciate having it, yes." The woman says. "It is imperative I work with as much information as possible."

That gives the tactician pause. She needs as much information as possible? What does... Oh... "You're Miriel, aren't you?"

"Yes." The lady says curtly. "I require the completed survey for our continued studies on your condition."

Robin quickly grabs the paper and hands it to the lady. She accepts it with a nod, and then carefully folds the papers up and places them in her robes.

"Good. I will explain more over the course of our morning meal. Come." Miriel turns around swiftly and walks down the hallway, expecting Robin to follow. The tactician does follow of course, but he wonders absently if he ever hasn't. Was there one day where he just ignored her and walked the other way?

Maybe, but Robin supposes it doesn't really matter if he knows or not. He'll probably be having this same thought process tomorrow, and maybe he'll take the other path and maybe he won't, but the end result will always be the same: he won't remember what he did.

" _Now I'm just depressing myself_." Robin thinks, sighing. " _I could just say everything is pointless with that logic._ "

The hallways are, of course, unfamiliar. The walls are simple stone, but adorned with tapestries and paintings. The tactician forces himself to _not_ stop and stare at every single one. He's probably seen them dozens of times.

The dining room is smaller than he expected. From the stone walls and decorations he would have assumed they were in a castle… or maybe this is just a secondary dining area? There are a fair amount of people here though. A girl with light-brown hair and pink clothes, a blond, buff man without a shirt, a toned redhead, a cheery girl with blond pigtails, a really normally looking guy with olive-colored hair, and a tall black-haired guy sitting almost invisibly at the edge of the table.

"Morning you two!" The blonde girl chirps. "Sumia made breakfast today, you're both in for a treat!"

Miriel nods curtly, moving right for the food laid out on a smaller table at the side of the room. Robin trails along behind, feeling very lost among all these people chatting with each other and discussing plans. They're so _familiar_ with one another, and Robin realizes he would be too if he didn't have this blasted amnesia. All these people don't react to seeing him, he's clearly a common sight here, but he doesn't know _any_ of them.

He piles his plate with food, and takes the advice of the normal looking man when he suggests Robin try some of the pie. The tactician nods absently when people greet him, but can't bring himself to greet them back.

Miriel speaks as soon as they both take a seat. "We have a few items to attend to today. We have your usual memory activities to go through, including the piano. Then we shall review our progress and make decisions based on that."

Robin blinks owlishly. "Uh… sure."

"Should everything go according to plan, we shall finish just before dinner." Miriel says, adjusting her glasses. "That will give you approximately four hours to do as you wish before I suggest you retire for the night."

The tactician vaguely wonders if his schedule is dictated by Miriel _every_ day. "Alright."

"Good. Do you have any questions?"

"Many. Most of which I am assuming you've heard before."

"Most likely."

"So I'm going to refrain from asking."

"As you wish." She says, pulling out a small journal and making a tick mark on the inside. The lady also begins writing notes. "However, do feel free to voice your thoughts. They provides valuable insight for our research."

"Sure." Robin mumbles, putting a forkful of food in his mouth. "If you say so Miriel."

###

"Weird…" Robin frowns, flipping over the last card. "Everything first try?"

The tactician was playing a simple matching game Miriel had set up. He flips over one card, and then another, and is supposed to find matching pairs and eventually remove all the cards… except he got every single match right away without any failures.

Miriel looks _very_ satisfied. "Success. This provides evidence for my mother's theory of non-declarative memory…"

"How so?" The tactician asks, tilting his head.

"You spent the last week memorizing that exact pattern of cards and practiced flipping them over in a specific order." Mirel says, frantically scribbling notes. "And today, despite having no knowledge of the test and no recollection of the order you turned over the cards on previous days, you successfully flipped over the cards in the exact order you practiced on instinct."

"So how does this prove… uh… 'non-declarative' memory. No, first, what _is_ non-declarative memory?"

"In simple terms it is muscle memory." The mage mutters, not looking up from her notes. "In much the same way you know how to walk without conscious effort, humans learn to do many things on instinct if they do said things often enough."

"Like eating?"

"Yes, but also things such as a soldier swinging a sword properly on instinct rather than needing to think about it. This memory task, having you flip cards over in a certain pattern, is the very same thing. It does not require _knowledge_ , and therefore is not affected by your amnesia."

"Because if muscle memory _was_ affected by amnesia, I wouldn't know how to walk…" Robin says, realizing what she's getting at. "Wow, that's clever."

"Many thanks." Miriel says, hardly paying attention to him. "However you will have to pardon me for a minute, I must record this."

"Ah, sure." Robin coughs.

It takes Miriel _several_ minutes to finish her notes, and Robin has nothing to do but wait patiently. He vaguely wonders what else he's memorized since he… he… gods, he wonders how he even _got_ here. Anyways, since he got here (however that may be) Robin wonders if he's memorized anything else beyond this card pattern.

"Finished." Miriel mutters with a final flick of her quill. "My apologies. This is _very_ good news."

"I have a question."

"Yes?"

"Can I only remember muscle memory?" Robin asks. "I mean, uh… _non-declarative_ information?"

"No." Miriel says simply. "Contrary to many, _many_ other cases of anterograde amnesia (although you are a case of both anterograde _and_ retrograde) you seem to have a very limited capacity to remember information day to day."

The tactician blinks rapidly. "Really?"

"It takes many repetitions, but you have slowly learned to remember that your favourite color is purple and that you enjoy chess." Miriel says.

"That seems very unlikely." Robin says suspiciously.

"I can prove it." The mage responds, and moves over to a stack of drawers. She pulls open the top one and pulls out a piece of paper. "Here, this is the fifth survey you ever took. About seven months ago."

Robin scans it quickly, and is surprised to find that Miriel isn't lying. He recognizes his own handwriting, and when the question "what is your favourite colour?" comes up the answer written down is "I don't know." Similarly, the older survey also asks about Darwin's theory of evolution and instead of writing something about natural selection he has again written "I don't know."

"See?" Miriel murmurs. "You are learning, albeit slowly. Moreover your level of memory retention is improving every month. It used to take an entire month for you to recall even a small piece of information, but nowadays you are recalling small bits after only a few days of memorization. You only started learning chess a week ago, and yet in the survey today you wrote that it was your favourite game despite not knowing it _existed_ a week ago."

"Huh…"

"My mother also had a theory on that." The mage adds softly. "Neuroplasticity she called it. The ability of our brains to remake themselves upon suffering damage to regain or compensate for lost functionality… among other things."

"Wow."

"That being said, you are a _very_ odd case among amnesiacs, so perhaps it is wrong with me to assume neuroplasticity has anything to do with your case." Miriel admits. "For all I am aware, your amnesia is magic, and your improvement is due to your body developing a resistance to the magic. Or perhaps there is a problem with your body's chemicals and not it's structure."

"Do you think I'll recover?" Robin asks, hoping for some good news.

"I think it is a _possibility_." The mage says slowly. "However, I suspect it will take many years, and you will not likely regain anything you have lost."

"Better than nothing." Robin sighs. Tentatively, he smiles at her. "I hate that I'm not going to remember you tomorrow."

Miriel gives a tired smile in return. "I appreciate the sentiment."

The tacitican pauses, eyes narrowing. "I've said this before, haven't I?"

"A few times. This is one of the more rare outcomes." The mage admits.

Robin sighs. "Right, of course."

"Let us move on then." The mage murmurs.

###

Robin doesn't know what to do in his free time because he knows it doesn't matter. He could read a book only to forget the contents, or play chess only to not remember what he learned.

No, no, Robin has another idea. Miriel says he has limited recollection, right? So far he's been remembering pointless things like his favourite colour, but he should theoretically be able to remember something more relevant, such as, say, Miriel's name.

That's why, for the entirety of his four free hours, Robin spends his time trying to program his own brain to remember her. Maybe, he thinks, if he associates her name with a particular action then doing that action may prompt him to remember the name tomorrow.

He chooses an action that is slightly out of normal. Robin opens his dresser, stares for a few seconds, and then walks to the bookshelf and firmly utters the mage's name. He feels like a moron doing this, and he doesn't know if it will help, but on the extremely off chance this works he does it again and again.

Eventually he has to go to bed though. Robin feels like he should be fighting sleep, but he knows it's pointless. The last thing he sees before going to bed is the survey he put on his side-table for tomorrow, and then he closes his eyes and waits for sleep to come.

###

The man opens his eyes. The bed he's lying in is unfamiliar, the room is unfamiliar, _everything_ is unfamiliar. He stares blankly at the ceiling for a minute, trying to recall what happened… and he can't. He doesn't remember _anything_ : not what happened to him, not his past, not his parents, not his friends…

No, that's not true. He knows _some_ things. His name is Robin and he's a tactician. He likes reading, learning new things, and playing chess.

"My favourite color is purple." Robin murmurs to himself, sitting upright. "Color… my eyes are… brown. Yes, my eyes are brown, my hair is brown. It's long, right?" He reaches up to grab his hair, and finds it does indeed go down to the small of his back. "Right, okay…"

He looks around the room, squinting against the bright sunlight shining through the window. The room is rather small with a large bookshelf taking up an entire wall. There's a finely crafted hardwood desk and chair next to it, with a small peach-coloured couch lying just off to the side, and a small closet. He has a small side-table, also hardwood, and… there's paper and quill on it?

Robin picks up the papers and reads them quietly to himself. "Robin, please complete the following survey, and then wait in your room for an escort to breakfast. Based on your usual rising time, breakfast should occur approximately half an hour after you wake."

Robin picks up the papers and reads them quietly to himself. "Robin, please complete the following survey, and then wait in your room for an escort to breakfast. Based on your usual rising time, breakfast should occur approximately half an hour after you wake."

The paper is signed 'Miriel'. Robin doesn't recognize the name. The checklist is surprisingly long, nearly two pages of questions. Some are simple, like: "what is your favourite color?" And some are more complex and frankly odd, such as: "Please explain, in as much detail as possible, the Darwin's theory of evolution."

Robin is surprised to find he _does_ know a little about the theory. It's very minor, the only thing of significance he can recall is that when things reproduce they tend to pass on traits that do well because traits that _don't_ do well tend to get you killed. The tactician has a feeling that he doesn't even recall _half_ of the theory, because that seems far too simple for something that sounds so official.

At the end of the survey is another note. "Thank you for completing this survey. In order to ensure your responses were as unbiased as possible I withhold the following information from you: You are a chronic amnesiac, every morning you awake to find that you have forgotten your entire life. This information was withheld so that you did not feel compelled to feign improvement and therefor lie on the survey."

It's a very blunt note, with no apologies given for the deception. Robin doesn't feel particularly offended though, he can understand the logic behind the deception. This also helps explain a lot. Using this new knowledge Robin surmises that this room probably belongs to him. He expects that if he looks around he'll find clothes that fit him, the bookshelf will probably hold some strategy books, and he'll perhaps find a chess set stashed somewhere.

It's a bit disconcerting to think that he's probably had these exact same thoughts dozens of times before. He wonders if the him of yesterday was the same as he will be today. Maybe that man was cocky and arrogant, maybe he was timid and meek… or maybe he acts relatively the same every single time.

No point in dwelling on this though. Robin realizes he should probably get dressed. He walks over to the dresser, opens it, and then pauses.

"There's something…" He frowns, trying to think. "Did I leave something on the bookshelf?"

It's a very random feeling, Robin doesn't know why this is occuring to him now of all times, but he gives in and walks over to the bookshelf. Of course, there's nothing there of note.

"Weird." He mumbles. "Whatever. Time to get dressed."

He dresses quickly, and a female voice calls to him from outside. He opens the door to find a red-haired mage with glasses standing there. They share a brief conversation, and Robin hands her the survey.

As they're walking to breakfast though, he's struck by a thought.

" _Miriel… that's quite a nice name._ "

* * *

 **Well this is a slightly depressing chapter. I like it though.**

* * *

 **Mram99** **:** That's fair. I have several pairings that don't really click with me either for no particular reason. Stahl was strange to write because I found myself constantly talking about food despite knowing he had other character traits. Also yes, that really does sound like an end piece. I'll keep it in mind I suppose, but we're not even halfway through my list of ideas yet.

 **CorEagle** **:** Gun Robin has already been done (see Captain Robin) and I've added Luck Robin to the list.

 **Darkness is complete** **:** Added Demon Summoner to the list.

 **Vanderspiegel** **:** I really like that idea. I'll have to keep it for a milestone of some sort.

 **Guest (X2)** **:** Samurai, Megalomaniac, and Kitsune are all fine.

 **Makeanotherone** **:** King/Queen is unlikely, Ancient, Naga, and Scientist are a no-go, and Dimensional Walker is going to fall under Other.

 **IsThisWorking** **:** Snek.

 **Guest** **:** Sure, I'll put on the list.

 **Ren-A-Gade** **:** So Twin Robins of opposite genders? Sure.

 **ARSLOTHES** **:** Already done that. Giantess Robin is a thing.

 **Guest (X3) :** That's a crossover, so no, not in this story, and I've already got an idea for MPD (or DID as you wish) so I'm saying no to the sneeze thing. Drunk is already on the list, and I'll add sadist too.


	32. Alien Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **Minor: Dark Flier, Immortal, Boxer (Pugilist), Exploitive, Swordmaster, Angry Cinnamon Roll, Tripping, Perpetual Cheer, Chef, Blacksmith, Gay, Pegasus Knight, Teacher, Librarian.**

 **Standard: Elemental, Deaf, Foreign, Future sight, Tiny, Nurse/Medic, Valmese Tactician, Medusa, Goddess, Racer, Amazon, Genderfluid, Gift from Validar + evil to good, Mind Control, Banshee, Bard, Old, Dancer, Mimic, Emotionless, Khan, Crippling Overspecialization (Idiot Savant), Coward, ESP, PTSD, POW, Magician, Mute, Savage, Handicapped, Secret Helper, Crazy, Respawn, MPD, Morpher, Dreamwalker, Motherly, Lich, Twins, Regenerating, Sadist, Animal Whisperer (horse/wyvern), Naga/Tiki Assistant.**

 **Unlikely: Chrom's child, Minotaur, Paladin, Werewolf, Assassin, Future Soldier, Bounty Hunter, Weather control, Kleptomaniac, Druid, Steampunk, Shadow Familiar, Magic Augmentation, Lucky, Exile, Piper (Charmer), Gladiator, Witch Doctor, Centaur, Drunk, Demon, Punk, Harpy, Revenant, Luck Manipulation, Demon Summoner, Megalomaniac, Kitsune, King of Plegia, Mood Ring, Reverse Aging, Hammerspace, Prostitute, Demon hunter.**

 **Other: Pokemon Trainer, Self-insert, Second Generation replacement, Dimensional Walker, Cycle, Fates.**

 **Suggested by Mram99: Alien Robin. Also Slime Robin by Pengaius.**

* * *

"Are you sure we should be messing with it captain?" Sully mutters.

"I must agree Milord, we should keep our distance." Frederick warns.

"We have to figure out what it is Frederick." Chrom disagrees. "It could be dangerous."

Southtown had sent a report to the capital reporting something falling from the sky a few days previously. A metal container, rounded like a egg, sits in the center of a field. There's dirt kicked up all around it from the impact of it's fall, but for such a heavy object it barely left a crater.

"There's lines engraved in the shape of a rectangle." Chrom notes, running his hand over the shallow marks. "And here too." He says, tapping a small square.

That action seems to prompt a reaction out of the metal egg. It makes a hissing noise, and the prince leaps backwards instantly. Steam shoots out of the back of the thing, and the rectangle slowly slides away like one of those chon'sin paper doors to reveal…

...a transparent pink blob about the size of a toddler with a small red sphere in the middle of it. It drops out of the container and lands on the grass with a soft squelching noise. It stays motionless for a moment, sitting on the grass in oval shape, before it slowly starts to move towards the group.

"Careful." Chrom warns, taking a few steps away from the creature. It pauses upon seeing this (at least Chrom _presumes_ it can see) and then does something unnerving. The Shepherds watch as the amorphous blob fashions itself into a vaguely humanoid shape. It's incredibly sloppy: the head is too large, the body too skinny, it's limbs end in slimy pools rather than hands or legs, and really it just looks like a mostly melted wax sculpture.

The prince isn't sure if he's reassured that this thing is trying to interact with them, or worried that it's trying to mimic them. This thought is further reinforced when the creature fashions a mouth for itself and starts gurgling at them unintelligibly.

"I think it's intelligent." Sully mutters, eyeing the pink creature with obvious suspicion. "And that doesn't exactly sit well with me."

"Why not?" Chrom asks, watching as the creature _again_ tries to speak and spits out garbled sounds.

"If it was like an animal I wouldn't feel bad about just killing it and moving on." The cavalier admits, gripping her spear tightly and urging her horse to take a few more steps back. "It's smart though, I can't just stab it without a good reason."

Sumia would probably have something to say about Sully not feeling bad about killing an animal, but thankfully the clumsy girl isn't here. "Well." Chrom says slowly, trying to judge the situation. "Sully is right, we can't just kill it. I think we should take it back to Ylisstol for Miriel to study."

"But how milord?" Frederick asks. "I do not think this thing can be tied up, I suspect a rope will pass right through its body."

Chrom agrees. While this thing seems to have a certain solidity, it also seems very much like it has liquid qualities. They need a bag or a box to contain it. "Sully, go back to Southtown and get us a crate or a sack. Make sure there are no gaps or tears."

"Got it captain." The woman ushers her horse into a gallop, and moves off over the hill… only to _immediately_ come back. "Captain! There's fire!"

"What?!" Chrom shouts. "Damnit, a bandit raid right under our noses…" He runs over to Frederick, and hops on the back of his horse.

"Milord, what about-"

"Deal with the active threat first, the possible threat second!" The prince shouts. "Let's move!"

Southtown is seeing the start of a fire. Only a few buildings have caught flame at the moment, but there is an absolute _swarm_ of bandits.

"What a time not to have Maribele along with us." Sully growls as Chrom hops off Frederick's horse. "Gah, this is going to suck. Come on you black-hearted rats! I'll take you all on and then some!"

The three if them dive into combat, swinging lances and swords at the hoard of bandits. The sheer size of the group is unprecedented for a target as small as Southtown. Chrom was expecting a dozen men, not _fourty_. Never has he been more glad that Frederick keeps vulneraries on him then now because the prince takes a number of dangerous hits in the course of clearing out the town.

About halfway through the fight though, Chrom sees something concerning. The pink blob from before, still looking like a melted wax sculpture, shuffles into the town square. The bandits don't seem to know what to make of it, and try to give the creature a wide berth.

The creature has other ideas though. As a bandit moves by it, the creature whips one of its malformed arms in the man's direction, and the limb extends threefold and wraps around the man's leg.

The unfortunate bandit falls to the floor as the creature yanks his leg out from under him. The pink creature then throws it's other hand at the man which sticks to his back like paste. The creature starts shuffling forward while simultaneously pulling the bandit in towards it.

Finally the creature draws the bandit right against its form, and starts to encompass him as the man's body is encased by the creature's slimy one.

And then screaming starts. Chrom watches in horror as the man's legs start to dissolve from inside the creature. His flesh sizzles like it's beset by acid, and his body is rapidly eaten up by the pink creature as it draws him further and further inside itself.

Even more disturbing, the creature seems to _grow_ as it dissolves the man alive. Perhaps, Chrom thinks grimly, this is how the creature eats.

As if things couldn't get any stranger, the creature's appearance starts to refine itself to be more human. Its body becomes smooth but featureless, but still dissolves in a pool of goo at the bottom of its legs. Their hands are no longer droopy messes of slime, but instead become pincers because their fingers are all mashed together to form a block except for the thumb.

"Aw hell, that thing is here too?!" Sully shouts.

"Stay away from it!" Chrom warns. "It just _ate_ a bandit!"

"Ate?!" Sully grimaces.

"Yes!" The prince shouts. "It can extend its arms, stay five lengths away from it at all times!"

They clean up the rest of the bandits as quickly as they can. Fighting around the creature, thankfully, isn't that difficult, and the pink slime actually proves somewhat useful because it attacks anything that gets close to it and therefore protects Chrom's right flank.

Through the course of the fight the creature eats five bandits, each punctuated by horrific screaming for a few seconds before the creature covers their mouths with a hand. That's a new development as well, it didn't silence them the first time. It's _learning_ , but _why_ does it want to silence them?

The fight ends quickly. The combination of a the Shepherds and a slime monster cutting down their numbers quickly demoralizes them and the remaining members (about five or six) flee for their lives with whatever they had already gathered slung over their shoulders.

The shepherds slowly circle the slime creature sitting in the town center. Just like the first time it ate a bandit, the other five victims have given the creature physical improvements to its human facade. It now looks like a mannequin, and has properly formed finger, a nose, a massive sheet of hair that's twice the size of its body (which Chrom suspects is because of how much it grew from eating all those bandits), a mouth, and eyes which are slightly darker in color than the rest of its body and watch them with idle curiosity.

It makes no aggressive moves towards them, apparently not seeing the Shepherds as prey, and sits contentedly in the center of the town square with legs and arms folded patiently in its lap.

"What do we do with it captain?" Sully asks in a whisper.

"I don't know." Chrom grimaces. The creature is dangerous no doubt, but somehow it's distinguishing between them and bandits. It also isn't showing any interest in the villagers, so it clearly knows what's an enemy and what isn't.

"I don tah know." The creature repeats in a distorted gurgling noise, not quite grasping the sharp T sound. "Dot, doot, donat, don't. _Don't_. I don't know."

Somehow Chrom doubts the creature understands what it's saying, but there's a very real possibility that it might eventually _learn_ to understand them at some point. "We have to take it back to Ylisstol."

"Back to Ylisstol." It parrots. Even as they're listening, it's voice is becoming less garbled and more humanlike. "We have to take it back to Ylisstol."

"Maybe it'll just follow us?" Sully suggests.

"Follow us? Maybe." It says.

"We'll have to camp tonight, do we really want this thing near us while we sleep?" Chrom sighs. "Do we have a choice…?"

"We could purchase a wagon and put this creature in a box." Frederick suggests.

"Box."

"If it can dissolve flesh, I'm fairly sure it can dissolve a wood crate." Chrom sighs.

"Dissolve a wooden crate."

"Can we shut this thing up?" Sully groans, jabbing a finger at the creature.

"Shut this thing up." The slime says, and then mimics Sully's gesture and points a finger back at her. "Can we?"

Despite the relative seriousness of the situation, Chrom cracks a smile. "I think I like this thing."

"Fuck you Chrom." Sully growls.

"Like this thing Chrom." The creature chirps.

###

In the end they decide they don't really have a choice but to let the creature follow them without some sort of container to, well, _contain_ it. It 'walks' along at a surprisingly decent pace (and by 'walk' Chrom means it mimics the action while actually moving the pool of goop that makes up its lower body).

When they find a place to settle down, Frederick moves off into the forest to find something for them to eat while Sully gets firewood and Chrom just watches the creature.

"I don't suppose you have a name, do you?" The prince asks absently, sitting on a log. He's tired of calling them 'the creature' or 'the slime'. Incidentally, the slime is copying him again by sitting on another log across the fire pit. The prince puts a hand on his chest, and says as clearly as possible: "I'm Chrom."

"I'm Chrom."

"No." The prince says firmly. "You're not."

"Not?"

Again, Chrom puts a hand on his chest. "Chrom." He then points at the creature and pauses. Maybe it doesn't have a name. The blue-haired boy just says the first that comes to mind. "Robin."

"Chrom." It says, pointing at him. "Robin." It points at itself.

"Right." Chrom nods.

"Right." Robin nods. "I'm Robin."

The prince blinks. It's already learning how to combine words together to form it's own sentences. That's… good? "Yes, you are."

The others come back, and they quickly cook the bear Frederick managed to skewer. Chrom insists on giving Robin some (if just to foster goodwill between them and the creature, not because he particularly thinks it _needs_ more food).

"Sully, Frederick." Robin mumbles when the prince introduces them. She points to each of their little group in turn. "Sully. Frederick. Chrom. Robin." It pauses, and then says. "Shepherds?"

"Yes." Chrom nods. "We are."

"We?" Robin asks, pointing to all of them and then itself. "We?" The slime then points to just Chrom, Sully, and Frederick.

Chrom realizes Robin is asking if they're included in 'we'. "We." The prince says reluctantly, pointing to just himself, Sully, and Frederick. "You're not a part of our group yet."

"Yet." Robin says, latching onto that word.

"Yet." Chrom agrees.

###

"Hello Chrom." Robin greets as the prince enters her room. Over the last month she has seen gradual changes (though none so drastic as that first day). Her voice is distinctly female and she speaks in a sultry rasp most of the time. Her body is much more detailed, resembling an actual person rather than a mannequin now. She's a head shorter than Chrom, and has an exaggerated feminine form with a (relatively) thin waist but a large bust and thick thighs and hips, and a head of hair twice the size of her body that turns into a pool of goo when it hits the floor.

Chrom has never asked _why_ she chose to be female, of why she chose to make herself so attractive, he didn't feel it was his place to question. Chrom does wonder why though, he wouldn't think a slime creature would even _bother_ with a gender at all, much less having an appearance that probably prompts unappreciated advances from strangers. Still, if Robin wants that appearance she's fully within her rights to use it.

He understands the hair though. If she tried to make a body using all the mass available to her she'd be rather oversized, so instead she puts all the mass she doesn't want to use into her hair because having massive hair is a lot _less_ off-putting to others than being eight feet tall.

"What are we doing today?" The slime asks, playing with her hair and crossing her legs. Her feet are no longer pools of slime, Robin can actually walk around if she wants to. "Chess again? Am I joining you at the theater for a play again?"

Despite her intelligence, Chrom and Emmeryn decided it was prudent to keep an eye on Robin for a few months to ensure she is as human as she claims to be. So far there have been no issues, and since it has been four months they've decided it's time to grant one of her early wishes.

"No, we're not doing any of those things." Chrom coughs, taking a seat in the chair. "I'm sure you remember what I told you a few days ago, about how the Risen have become troublesome?"

"Yes?"

"Well, I'd like you to join the Shepherds on a mission." The prince says slowly. "You don't have to-"

"I accept. When do we leave?" She says instantly.

Chrom chuckles. "In a few hours. If you have anything you need, grab it now. We need to get down to the barracks so I can ensure everyone is ready."

"I'm a _slime_ Chrom, I don't need anything." She says, rising from her seat with a grin. "No weapons, no armor, no clothes, nothing. Just let me tag along and I'll handle myself."

"You'll be expected to carry a share of supplies." Chrom says. "As long as you're fine with that, welcome to the Shepherds."

###

Chrom takes a seat in the chair. Miriel sits across from him, shuffling through a few notes. "My apologies for calling you here so suddenly. I felt it necessary to share my conclusion with you as swiftly as possible."

"Conclusion about what?" Chrom asks. "Did you finish the study on Stahl's averageness?"

"No, this conclusion pertains to Robin." The mage says. The prince notes with some worry that the woman is grimacing. "I triple checked my observations to verify that there was no mistake, no clue I missed, but it is with great reluctance that I must inform you that Robin is exhibiting some measures of sociopathic behaviour."

"Sociopathic?" Chrom asks, worried. "How so?"

"Firstly, she is anti-social." The mage says. "And when she _does_ converse with others it is either because she has no choice due to it being an order such as for a meeting, or when she wants something of them."

"Truly?" The prince blinks. "I've never seen that."

"I must stress that she actively hides this sort of behaviour around yourself." Miriel says firmly. "For whatever reason, Robin has decided that you are worth preserving an image of politeness towards, most likely because of your status."

Chrom frowns, pursing his lips. "She's never made any request from me beyond asking me to play games with her."

"I do not pretend to understand her end goal." Miriel admits. "I am simply telling you what I have observed."

"I see… anything else?"

"I suggest addressing her problematic behaviour. The other Shepherds do not take kindly to her manipulations and callousness." The mage says. "She should listen to you, as stated before she seems to want to appease you in particular."

"Alright, I'll deal with it." Chrom says with a grimace. "Thank you Miriel."

The prince steps out of the mage's tent, mind whirling with this new information. It doesn't sit well with him to think that Robin, who has become one of his closest friends over the last few months, is actually manipulative and using him for status and/or security.

He supposes it makes a certain amount of sense. Robin isn't human despite what her shape might suggest, and as such there's no guarantee her mind works the same way as a human's does. Besides, it isn't like there aren't some humans already that are manipulative and sociopathic.

Finding Robin isn't hard, she's almost always in her tent. In her spare time the girl exclusively reads, having no other hobbies that Chrom is aware of that she does on her own. He stands outside the tent, takes a deep breath, and calls to her. "Robin? Can I step in?"

"Of course!" The girl's voice calls back. "Step in…"

Chrom pushes aside the flap and does just that. Robin is sitting on a small stool, and when she sees him step inside she gives him a brilliant smile and sets her current book aside. For once Chrom isn't distracted by her shapely appearance or pleasant demeanor, he's focused solely on resolving the current problem. "I have something to discuss with you."

"Tactics again?" She asks, crossing her legs and sitting up straight. One hand goes to her hair as usual, combing through the solid mass as if it were _actual_ hair. "Maybe you have a game you want play? Or do you want to spar again?"

"Non of the above." Chrom admits reluctantly. He would much prefer to sit down and play chess right now, but this has to get done. "It's about your… attitude."

"What about it?" She asks, pouting her full lips and crossing her arms under her chest and popping it up a bit. Whereas once Chrom would have assumed this was unintentional, he can't help but wonder if this sexalized behavior is an active seduction attempt to keep in his good graces. That would actually explain a _lot_ about her sultry appearance, demeanor, and voice. Robin can take whatever appearance she wants, but she chose one that would be appealing to _him_. That's very suspicious in light of Miriel's observations.

"I've gotten a report that you've been displaying some concerning behaviour." Chrom says slowly, trying to find a way to be delicate about this. However, delicacy is _not_ his strong suit, so he decides being upfront about this is his best bet. "It claims you only interact with the other Shepherds when you're ordered to, or when you want something from them. Is this true?"

"Of course." Robin says as if the admission is nothing unusual. "Why would I bother with them otherwise? They have very little to offer me."

Any doubts Chrom had about Miriel's report being truthful are promptly dismissed with the girl's admission, and the prince resigns himself to an uncomfortable and disheartening conversation. "Why are you pleasent around me then?"

"Because you're useful." The slime says, tilting her head. "Don't you know this already?"

"No." Chrom shakes his head. "This is new to me. I thought I was your friend."

"You are." Robin huffs, smiling. The prince isn't fooled though, he now knows Robin thinks differently than him.

"What is a friend to you?" He asks.

"Someone useful to me, who I am useful to, and we both make attempts to stay in the other's good graces." The girl says simply.

Chrom's shoulders sag. "Well that's different from how I define the word."

"How _do_ you define it then?" She asks curiously.

"Someone pleasant to be around, and who finds me pleasant as well. We both empathize with each other, and strive to help each other in times of need." Chrom says.

"We do find our time together pleasant." She points out. "We empathize, at least I usually know what you're thinking, and I help you keep happy while you keep me safe and alive."

"That's not empathy." Chrom says, putting aside the problem of helping each other in times of need being defined as just: 'I keep you happy and you keep me alive'. "Empathy is the ability to understand and care about the _emotions_ of someone else."

"To keep good relations?" Robin says.

"No, just because you care for their wellbeing." The prince retorts. "For example… if I were in danger, and you knew you would get injured trying to help me, would you do it?"

"I can't get injured. I'm a slime."

"Fine. Would you _die_ to save me?"

"Of course not. My main goal is survival."

"That's where we differ." Chrom says softly. "I would die to save my friends."

"That's stupid." Robin says bluntly.

Chrom sighs. "To be fair I don't expect _anyone_ else to do that, even for a friend, but I think it makes my point. Caring deeply about someone else, a _friend_ , is the willingness to do something for them with no benefit to yourself. Not out of want for a future favor, but out of sympathy and compassion."

"I…" The girl pauses, looking at him curiously. "I don't relate."

"That's what I expected." The prince sighs. "Look, I can't make you change, I won't try, but if you're going to ask things of others at least offer something in return. They don't appreciate being manipulated."

"I see." Robin says with a blank expression. Her seductive demeanor has completely fallen away. "Will that keep me in your good graces?"

Chrom winces, but nods. "Yes, it will."

"Then I'll comply." She nods.

"Good." The prince sighs, and prepares to leave. He pauses for a moment, and then says. "One last question: what _is_ your goal? What are you aiming for?"

"Survival." She says instantly.

"That's it?"

"What else is there?"

"Wanting to create a better world, wanting to perfect a craft, wanting to study something…" Chrom suggests. "You don't want anything like that?"

"It never occured to me as being important." Robin says bluntly.

"I… I see." Chrom winces. "Alright. See you at dinner Robin."

"See you later Chrom."

###

Robin doesn't understand why that conversation changed things. She still caters to Chrom's human hormones with her appearance and attitude, she is still friendly and does activities with him, and she even complied with his extra request to 'offer something in return' when dealing with the others. Why then does he seem distant from her now? Robin doesn't want to lose the protection that comes alongside being associated with someone so powerful, she isn't foolish enough to think all other humans will be so tolerant of her differences.

The slime has spent the last month pondering that fateful conversation she had with the prince. The idea of caring for something enough that you are willing to detriment yourself for their sake is new to her… and if she's understanding Chrom's thoughts right she still somewhat counts as a friend to him, and therefore he's willing to detriment himself for her, _die_ for her.

That's a strange thought, and not one she can say she likes. If Chrom dies, then she no longer has his protection… but at the same time the prince would be losing _everything_ just to save someone else. That's totally illogical if his goal is survival, but Robin has reason to believe his primary goal _isn't_ survival. Maybe it's a human thing, but she thinks his primary goal is the survival of his country, family, and friends, even above himself.

Robin could just ignore the conversation they had. While Chrom treats her differently, she still has his protection. However Robin _hates_ not understanding something, it means she can't predict it's effects and prepare for it. So she goes out of her way to try and understand Chrom's way of thinking.

Putting others over herself for little benefit is unnatural. Robin tries it a few times on the other Shepherds such as helping Tharja find some bat wings without asking for something in return or doing extra chores for a few days. She doesn't see the appeal, but the slime understands that if your goal is the happiness of another then this behavior makes logical sense.

Robin also spends more time observing Chrom to try and understand his mindset. She watches as the man trains with Vaike, a man with little to offer the prince. Chrom seems to find pleasure in the man's company for no obvious reason other than 'fondness', which is a notion that revolves around a human's instinctive attachment to things that are pleasant to them.

Robin learned about human psychology in books she read in the library. They are creatures driven by two motives: reproduction and survival. The prior often comes before the latter. Robin wonders if her differences and difficulty understanding Chrom is due to her lacking that first motive.

However, Robin finds her mind has proven flexible in the past. She remembers those first few days when she thought of everything in terms of just 'ally, foe, or unimportant', but that mindset rapidly evolved into intelligence with more nuanced understanding of the world. Perhaps Chrom's 'empathy' is something she can learn as well.

* * *

 **Ending this chapter here. It's stretching long, and I think you get the gist. This is very much a 'what is love?' situation. Robin is kinda like a robot here, operating on cold logic. She's not dangerous unless you prove a threat to her, but she's not exactly nice to be around unless she thinks she'll need something out of you consistently, in which case she puts in an effort to be attractive and pleasant to you (hence her highly-sexualized appearance here, she only has Chrom she really cares to be pleasant towards so she tailored her form** _ **specifically**_ **to abuse male hormones).**

 **I like to think of Robin's race as servants from whatever planet they come from. Their only core motivation is survival, so as long as you provide them with relative safety they'll do whatever the hell you want. Slimes aren't aggressive, and are easy to feed (literally anything they can dissolve can be food) and can fight quite well so really they'd be great servants.**

 **A few things I didn't get to touch on in the chapter due to its length: Robin has very precise control over her body's acidity, she can choose down to a fingertip where she wants to be acidic and where she wants to be safe. That red orb in the center of her body is her brain, eyes, and ears. She also doesn't have a sense of smell. Robin chose to go along with the Shepherds because she thinks she's safer alongside Chrom than in Ylisstol on her own despite being in constant combat. She honestly fears internal threats more than open combat… and she is** _ **scary**_ **in open combat; that one little glimpse you got is just a small taste of what she can do, and that was when she was animalistic.**

* * *

 **Vanderspiegel** **:** I'll put that in the 'other' category because it's a bit too meta for this collection.

 **M** **:** Never seen that movie, but sure.

 **Lean** **:** Skeleton Robin would just be a different version of Risen Robin I think, so no.

 **Guest** **:** For life? That sounds like it would write just like Exile Robin. Hammerspace Robin is unlikely, Angry Cinnamon Roll is minor, Stripping is a flat no. Thanks for the ideas though.

 **IsThisWorking** **:** 5/7? Not bad.

Miriel certainly has a romantic interest, but Robin doesn't have enough permanent knowledge to reciprocate _yet_. Also yes, I went out of my way to avoid Miriel's usual characterization of annoyingly long words.

 **Kamencolin** **:** Got to it eventually, hope you liked it.

 **Wernher von Braun** **:** Unlikely, but I'll put it down.

 **Darkness is complete** **:** Sure. Don't expect it anytime soon though, that's really not my style of story.

 **il2swim57** **:** I'll note all of those down. Some of them are going to fall under 'minor' though. Gay is fine, I've been meaning to write that one for a while anyways.

To be honest I'm just taking educated guesses on the psychology of all these characters. I don't really know the perspective of a 'macho' guy, I just think "okay, so he values strength, probably tries to hide his insecurities behind anger, and probably prefers to solve things physically". In a way, 'macho' just codifies some characteristics people tend to see which can have a variety of different reasons behind them that vary from person to person. Trying to write a 'macho' character leads to a stereotype because you don't know the reasoning behind why they do what they do. It's just a matter of breaking down how a character thinks.

Disclaimer, I don't really write macho characters all that much. Vaike is the only example you'll see in my writing. When I write a male main character then tend to be a bit too emotionally vulnerable and not obnoxiously confident and dominant enough to be considered macho.

Attraction to a female character isn't that different to attraction to a male character. It's just playing Mad Libs with body parts and adjectives for the physical aspects, and the rest is fairly gender-neutral.

 **She Who is Woe** **:** Multiverse really was great. Shame it stopped…

Darkness isn't my thing. I dislike writing downer stories, there's enough of those already. I'll take my "they lived happily ever after" thank you very much.

Thanks for reading! I always appreciate reviews.

 **bLuewErewOlf25** **:** That's going into the 'other' category. I'm not doing crossovers in this collection.

 **Guardien54** **:** Not quite sure I follow what you're saying in this review, so let me double check: you want sarcastic Emmeryn and Zerg Robin.

 **Sand soldier** **:** Yeah, my bad. Fixed.

I don't know the Witcher, I don't play many games to be honest. I'll note down the idea, but it's going under 'unlikely' because I have no idea how to tackle it.

 **samhendersonxtjx** **:** Sure. I'll put it down.

 **Guest :** Yeah, Copy Robin is already down. Thanks for the suggestion though.


	33. Bow Knight Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **Minor: Dark Flier, Immortal, Boxer (Pugilist), Exploitive, Swordmaster, Angry Cinnamon Roll, Tripping, Perpetual Cheer, Chef, Blacksmith, Pegasus Knight, Teacher, Librarian, Masochist, Literal-Minded.**

 **Standard: Elemental, Deaf, Foreign, Future sight, Tiny, Nurse/Medic, Valmese Tactician, Medusa, Goddess, Racer, Amazon, Genderfluid, Gift from Validar + evil to good, Mind Control, Banshee, Bard, Old, Dancer, Mimic, Emotionless, Khan, Crippling Overspecialization (Idiot Savant), Coward, ESP, PTSD, POW, Magician, Mute, Savage, Handicapped, Secret Helper, Crazy, Respawn, MPD, Morpher, Dreamwalker, Motherly, Lich, Twins, Regenerating, Sadist, Animal Whisperer (horse/wyvern), Naga/Tiki Assistant.**

 **Unlikely: Chrom's child, Minotaur, Paladin, Werewolf, Assassin, Future Soldier, Bounty Hunter, Weather control, Kleptomaniac, Druid, Steampunk, Shadow Familiar, Magic Augmentation, Lucky, Exile, Piper (Charmer), Gladiator, Witch Doctor, Centaur, Drunk, Demon, Punk, Harpy, Revenant, Luck Manipulation, Demon Summoner, Megalomaniac, Kitsune, King of Plegia, Mood Ring, Reverse Aging, Hammerspace, Prostitute, Demon hunter, Cyborg, Maid/Servant/Butler, Deadlord, Rebellion, Ghoul.**

 **Other: Pokemon Trainer, Self-insert, Second Generation replacement, Dimensional Walker, Cycle, Fates.**

 **I discovered something new about Awakening while making this chapter. You know when you hover over a unit in a chapter it shows their stats and whatnot, and there's a little portrait of them in the corner with a magnifying glass that you can press on to show their expected class stats? Well, if they're paired up with their spouse they'll be blushing when you magnify the portrait. I** _ **just**_ **learned this, and it only applies in the** _ **magnified**_ **portrait, not the small one.**

 **Originally this was going to be Horse Whisperer Robin, but as I wrote the chapter I quickly realized it was just Robin-learning-to-be-a-bow-knight with a Virion Pairing. So this is inspired by some of il2swim57's suggestions.**

 **This is a long one.**

* * *

"Damn you Virion..."

"Oh-ho! The lion of Rosanne strikes again!" The noble chuckles. He plucks Robin's commander off the field, signalling an end to the battle. "Good try my friend, you really where much better this time. Your rate of improvement is frankly frightening."

"I still haven't beat you though." The brown-haired tactician growls. His green eyes flick across the board, taking in the situation. "It was my gambit with the wyvern, wasn't it?"

"In part that, yes." Virion nods, twirling Robin's commander between his fingers. "But your insistence on saving every unit was your main downfall. It is all to easy to force you out of an advantageous position if you think you'll lose even _one_ man."

"Losing a unit means losing the battle, regardless of what the game rules say." Robin insists. "I have to keep that mindset when commanding the Shepherds, it's the reason we've done this well so far."

"And we would not have it any other way." Virion chuckles. "But that doesn't mean it translates well to this game my friend."

"I'll find a way, just you wait Virion." Robin growls.

"I look forward to it." The teal-haired man smirks.

###

The war has dragged on for many months. The plegian army is vast in number, providing stern resistance despite the superior skill of both the Ylissian and Feroxi forces. The problem is that while the Plegian army might lose troops quickly, they're replenished with equal speed. Despite being landlocked with water shortages being a constant problem, Plegia has a massive population that they can conscript for their army. Ylisse has only a few recruits, mostly for the pegasus corps, and the Shepherds gain new members with exceeding rarity.

That's why Robin is trying to find a way to diversify the capabilities of his troops. It's well and good that Chrom and Lon'qu are masters of the blade, but they lack ranged options entirely and struggle against groups of lance-users like cavaliers.

That's why Robin has given the order that any member of the shepherds currently restricted to one weapon or a staff should pick up a secondary. They do not have to imminently put this new weapon into practice against skilled foes, but weak Risen groups and occasional bandit encounters make perfect opportunities to test these new skills.

What troubles the tactician at the moment though is that... well... he _is_ one of those single weapon units. Just like Chrom and Lon'qu, Robin is a swordfighter and _only_ a swordfighter. While he woke in that field with a tome in his pockets, he found he sadly lacked skill for magic. It's not that he _can't_ cast a spell, he can actually cast high-level magic like arcthunder, but no matter how hard he tries Robin just can't make the magic do much damage.

The question of what other weapon to pick up has plagued him. Strictly speaking he doesn't have to, as he _can_ cast magic, but such a weak secondary weapon won't be that helpful. The tactician wants something useful at range, so learning spears of axes might be a good idea so he can figure out javelins or hand-axes. Maybe he could learn to throw daggers, or learn to use a sling from Donnel.

But all of those weapons lack the range Robin wants. He wishes to be able to shoot down enemy mages and fliers, and hand-axes, javelins, and slings all lack the ability to hit at a great distance. No, Robin knows that a bow is what he's looking for. The problem is that there's only _one_ Shepherd that could feasibly teach him archery.

"Ah, you're early dear tactician. So eager to lose are we?" Virion asks with a chuckle.

"I'm going to beat you this time." Robin says with determination. "But I have something to ask you first."

"Really? Does our illustrious commander need council, advice? Come, I'll happily lend my ear." The duke says with a flourish as he places his hand on his ear. "Many say I give only the _best_ of-"

"I want you to teach me archery." Robin says, cutting the man off. "As you know, I've given the order that each Shepherd is to pick up a secondary weapon if they only have one. I want to learn to shoot."

"So you came to me, the archest of archers!" Virion says, smoothing his cravat. "Well, I'm touched that you chose _me_ to be your teacher!"

"Don't flatter yourself. You're the only option." The tactician says in a deadpan voice.

"You wound me so!" The man says with an exaggerated gasp. "But still, I am more than willing to help you Robin."

"Thanks." He sighs.

"Are you sure, by any chance, you are not making excuses to spend more time with my noble self?" Virion teases. "I'm told I have quite the soothing aura."

Robin promptly gives him the middle finger as he digs through the chest for their game. "See this? This is all the fucks I give. _One_ , because you're my gamesman and now my teacher."

"Just as well, my heart only has room for the fairer sex." Virion shoots back, grinning at the banter.

"And mine has none for a grown man in a bib." Robin snorts, dragging out the box. He plucks the black pieces from their spot. "I'm sure I have a strategy to beat you this time."

"I recall something similar the last... oh... twenty attempts?" The duke teases. "Today you have made a mockery of my fashion, and I shall have satisfaction! Have at you!"

###

"Middle and ring finger, not the pointer." Virion corrects.

Robin's arms shake as he tries to keep the bow drawn. Despite looking like a delicate weapon it takes surprising strength to pull back the string of a bow and hold it there. He carefully adjusts his fingers to the correct position and looks to his teacher for approval.

"Keep your forward arm straight, don't let the bow pull on your wrist." The teal-haired man instructs. "Your shooting arm should have the elbow up at head height, don't let it drop!"

The tactician grits his teeth and does as he's told. His firing arm already aches from holding the string back, and it doesn't appreciate the new position.

"Alright, your current position acceptable." Virion nods. "You may shoot."

Robin releases the arrow, and watches with faint disappointment as it totally misses the target and instead hits the dirt a few meters short. The duke of Rosanne looks pleased though.

"Well done good sir!" The man says, smiling. "We'll work on your aim another day. For now, fifty repetitions with proper posture should suffice."

The tactician refrains from snarling in annoyance. He asked for this, and no matter how much he's going to ache in the morning he refuses to complain to his teacher about it.

###

"I guess I never asked, what's _your_ second weapon Virion?" Robin asks. He grabs his pegasus knights and moves them over to the side of the mountain, protecting them from Virion's archers.

"Why the blade my good man." Virion says. The duke flicks his great knights forward with seemingly little concern for the sages positioned right nearby, and advances all the rest of his units behind them. "An elegant weapon, just like the bow. Fit for a noble such as myself."

"Depends on who you're learning it from." The tactician mutters. He fires on Virion's knights, taking out a good number of them, and then marches his armor knights forward to protect the sages. "Chrom might as well be using a club with the way he swings Falchion around. I thought he'd choose the axe as his secondary, not spears."

"Why I'm learning it from the best around. Someone not too reliant on strength like our lord, and not too much on speed like the feroxi swordsman, instead a middle ground suited for someone as well-rounded as myself." The archer proclaims as he grabs his griffon riders.

"Stahl?"

"No, yourself." He says. The duke moves his griffons forwards an astounding distance, taking full advantage of the 'deliverer' trait, and takes a decent chunk out of Robin's elite guard protecting his commander. "Seeing as I am so kind as to be teaching you the bow, I thought it only fair you teach me the way of the sword."

Robin is scowling fiercely as he tries to find a way to get his commander to safety, but the absurd speed of the griffon riders makes escape impossible especially for a grounded unit like the commander with his pegasus knights unable to help due to them hiding behind a mountain. He's lost, _again_.

"Aha, it seems you've realized the bitter taste of defeat once more." Virion chuckles at Robin's expression. "But what say you? Will you aid me in my quest to learn the most heroic of weapons?"

"Fine." The tactician says curtly. He tips over his commander in resignation. "At least that's _something_ I can beat you at."

###

Unlike Robin with the bow, Virion already has a grasp of the basics of swordplay due to it being part of his education. While he's certainly not _great_ , he's far from a novice. Most of his training consists of adapting him to fighting in a proper battlefield and not organized duels with a code of conduct.

It's almost disheartening how quickly Virion adapts to fighting pragmatically. Unlike other fighting styles more reliant on brute strength or speed, Robin's style is reliant on solid defensive play, carefully timed attacks, reading the opponent, and abusing every advantage you can get.

Virion notes that it seems like the style of a survivor. "Don't leave yourself exposed for the sake of putting pressure on the opponent, only take risks heavily in your favour, and have no shame in fighting dirty."

"Keeping a surprise up your sleeve is always a good idea." Robin mutters as he demonstrates another block. "That way you can do _this_."

The tactician flicks his free hand inside his sleeve, yanks out a small dagger, and thrusts it where his opponent's head would be all in the span of a second. It's an awkward-looking manoeuvre considering his sword is still in blocking position though, and doesn't have a very long reach thanks to the dagger's short blade.

"Unfortunately however..." Robin coughs. "That's only useful in very niche circumstances. This is a parrying dagger though, it can also be used to catch the opponent's weapon so you can disarm them or strike with your main hand."

"I see." Virion murmurs. "How clever. Nothing less from our illustrious tactician!"

"Yeah yeah, flatter me all you want." He grunts, sheathing the dagger. "Two-weapon fighting is a whole other beast though. We'll tackle that another time. I just wanted to bring up the dagger thing to make a point. A lot of moves might only be useful in _very_ specific situations, but that doesn't make them any less viable."

"Anything to win the fight." The duke says.

"Anything to get out alive." Robin corrects. "Winning is secondary to survival, _always_."

###

"Ready?" Virion murmurs, standing just behind Robin's shoulder. "Arms straight, aim slightly upwards, full draw... release!"

The arrow flies high through the air, and Robin watches with baited breath. The unsuspecting Risen in the distance: a lumbering fighter, is his target. It's Robin's first time firing at a live enemy.

'Live' as a relative term of course.

The arrow is so far gone Robin can't even see it anymore, but what he _does_ see is the Risen burst into purple smoke signalling its death.

"A perfect shot." Virion congratulates, patting the tactician on the shoulder. "And now for my test, yes?"

They march closer, picking out a lone Risen myrmidon. Robin signals the rest of the Shepherds to _not_ attack it, and the group stands ready to intervene in a loose semi-circle around Virion. The duke pulls out his rapier, takes a deep breath, and steps forward. The myrmidon's eyes lock onto the teal-haired man, and combat begins.

Unlike with his own test, Robin remains silent as Virion fights. Conversation would be a distraction that Virion can ill afford in this fast-paced fight. The duke fairs well though, keeping a strict defence and getting in close to lock up their blades. When the myrmidon disentangles his weapon, Virion punches with the hilt of his own as punishment.

It's far from an elegant fight, but the style he was taught doesn't encourage such things anyways. The important part is Virion retains control and abuses every chance to punish his opponent. Keeping their weapons locked gives the monster little chance to use it's superior speed, and any attempt from the Risen to gain distance or free its blade is an opportunity for Virion to strike with a jab from his lighter, and therefore quicker, weapon.

It's a battle of fine details, far more than most of the observers might realize. Robin nods in approval as Virion patiently blocks repeated strikes, only to suddenly riposte with a jab to the head when the myrmidon over-swings just slightly. The rapier sinks into the Risen's skull, and it's eyes fade out before it poofs into purple smoke.

"Nicely done." Robin congratulates. He walks up and pats the man on the back. "Good job not getting hasty, you played that perfectly."

"But of course!" The man chuckles. "Virion is _always_ the image of perfection! Striking with the grace of a lion, defending with the grace of a swan, and _thinking_ now with the mind of a snake!"

"I think that's an insult towards me." The tactician says dryly. "A snake, huh?"

"You said yourself that your style was fighting dirty my friend." Virion reminds him. "And what is more deceptive than the snake?"

"I suppose there are worse things to be compared to." Robin snorts.

###

"Virion!" Robin shouts, shoving his way into the man's tent. "I have a question!"

"Of course dear Robin, what would you ask of my noble self today?" The duke asks, seeming totally unphased by the tactician's sudden intrusion.

"Do you know how to ride a horse?!"

"That would depend on if you are using that as a euphemism or-"

"I mean an _actual_ horse bib man!"

"It is a _cravat_ , thank you very much... and yes, I know how to ride."

"Teach me!"

"Of course. May I enquire as to _why_?"

"Mobility." Robin says, catching his breath. "I realized the strategic advantage of being able to see more on horseback to due the extra height, and the mobility is a lot better too so I can get to where I need to be quicker."

"You will be a larger target." Virion warns. "There _are_ downsides to being mounted."

"I'm aware, and I accept the risk." The tactician says quickly. "Now teach me."

"As you wish." The archer chuckles, standing up from where he was sitting. "First, we'll have to find you a mount."

###

"I hate horses already." Robin groans as he lies in the dirt. Virion strokes the mane of the chestnut colored horse that the tactician just fell off, smiling patiently.

"That mindset will need to change my friend." The duke says. "The horse can sense your nervousness and distrust; he will return it in kind. You will need to trust the horse with your life, especially if you wish to _shoot_ from horseback."

"Grr..." Robin growls, pushing himself to his feet. "Fine then, let's do this again."

The rest of the session passes with little progress. Virion knows Robin is far too frustrated to bond with his horse, but refrains from commenting. The duke knows the tactician won't take well to being told he needs to stop, and lets the man gradually wear himself out rather than argue with him.

"Fuck this! Fuck everything!" Robin shouts eventually, throwing up his hands in defeat. "Gods, horses _suck_! No wonder so few us actually use them!"

"Perhaps you just lack the delicate touch for such a mighty animal." Virion chuckles. "Even the fierce Sully and cruel Frederick are soft to their horses. You mustn't forget they are prey animals by nature. Your loud personality lends itself poorly to bonding with one."

"Says the man who spout love poems to every woman he comes across!" Robin snaps back in frustration. "If anyone has a 'loud' personality it's _you_ , dandy man!"

Virion is slightly offended, but he puts little stock in Robin's words at the moment. The man is angry, so the duke will be the bigger man and ignore what he said. "We can work on a strategy for your next lesson later. At the moment I think you could use a drink and a game."

"Yes please!" The tactician groans loudly.

###

This isn't the way it was suppose to go. This was supposed to be only a small squad of Plegian soldiers, not an entire platoon!

Robin has a retreat plan of course, but there's a catch. There aren't enough mounted units to pair up with the grounded men. Frederick for Chrom, Stahl for Lissa, Sully for Kellam, Sumia for Lon'qu, Cordelia for Vaike, Maribelle for Donnel, Nowi can carry Gregor, and Panne can take Gaius. That leaves Robin as the only front-liner still left in the fray while all his teammates are rescued by their comrades.

Robin insisted on this of course, he won't accept leaving one of his teammates behind so he takes the risk upon himself, but it does mean he's frantically dodging an entire platoon's worth of projectiles right now. The Shepherds' backline is providing as much a response as they can, but half a donzen arrows and fire spells is far from enough to deter the Plegians.

The sound of hoofbeats catches Robin's ear, and he spares the source a glance. His eyes grow wide at seeing Virion of all people riding a horse over the rocks towards him. The duke effortlessly fires shots from horseback, never loosing control despite having his hands off the reigns. When Virion gets closer he puts the bow on his back and extends a hand towards Robin. The tactician understands the gesture, and when Virion rides by in front of him Robin grabs on firmly and lets himself be pulled off his feet and into the saddle.

"Dear tactician, you gave my poor heart quite a fright!" Virion shouts over the crackles of flame and the pounding of the horse's hooves. "A heroic stand is all well and good, but you must consider the time! We still have need of your skills!"

"There was no other choice, we only have so many mounts!" Robin shouts back. "Besides, I could have lasted until someone came back for me!"

"A good thing that was unnecessary, for the archest of archers swooped in to rescue you!" The duke cries. He stands up in the saddle, again drawing his bow, and fires a shot off to the side and hits a myrmidon in the chest. "Now my good man, if you would be so kind to think up a way to win with our hundred to twenty problem, we would all be very appreciative!"

Robin shakes his head in wonder. Only Virion could fight, ride, and spout lines that sound straight out of a novel during the middle of a battle. Others would just be swearing or speaking curtly, even Maribelle. "You're one of a kind Virion!"

"Tell me something I _don't_ know!"

"I have a plan!"

"Already? You never cease to amaze dear tactician!"

"We'll need some bows, a bunch of javelins, and a few hand-axes!" Robin shouts. "We're going to poke these guys to death from a distance!"

"Of course! My illustrious self with fetch the equipment when we catch up with the others, you inform the captain of your plan!"

###

"Really Robin, pamper me anymore and I'll get the wrong impression." Virion chuckles, accepting the drink.

"You got hurt because of _my_ plan." Robin grunts, eyeing the cast on Virion's shooting arm.

"Ah, but the same could be said of Vaike, and Frederick, but I do not see you gifting them with tea and games." The duke points out. He eyes the board with casual confidence and then says "g5 to d5."

Robin moves Virion's queen forward three spaces. It dominates the center of the board supported by the rook in the back rank. The knight putting pressure on Robin's left side seems to be spelling the end for the tactician as he's being boxed in to a small corner. "Yeah but Frederick is being doted on by Sumia already, and Vaike doesn't appreciate good tea and strategy."

"So this is as much for you as for me." Virion hums.

"Of course. I'm not _that_ selfless." Robin scoffs. They play for a few minutes longer, but Robin eventually concedes and tips over his king. Another loss. "Some day I'll beat you in _one_ of these games Virion..."

"Tis wonderful to dream dear tactician, but some dreams are simply shooting too high." The duke jests with a chuckle.

"Heh." Robin sneers, but doesn't push the matter. At this rate he really isn't sure if he'll beat the man before they're old and grey. "Maybe I should get you to teach me tactics as well?"

"Heavens _no_." Virion scoffs. "We would barely survive the week with my plans! They're suited for the game board and _only_ the game board." His mouth forms a smirk. "Besides, you're enough of a handful when dealing with horses, I don't think I can handle teaching you two things at once!"

###

The day of Emmeryn's execution is a frantic one. The morning lacks the usual controlled chaos of everyone bumbling around half-asleep. Everyone, even Nowi (who is a massive over-sleeper) and Robin (who is exhausted from finalizing plans all last night), are up at _exactly_ the time they need to be and don't waste time with frivolities. There's no fanatical fitness hour this morning, the day already going to be brutal without it.

At nine everyone is ready and beginning to march. By noon they're in position near the fort where the execution is to take place. There's no organized lunch, with each member instead taking battle positions and quickly eating rations instead. They attack at one, with Robin having explained the plan in precise detail to the Shepherds and double-checking everyone knows their part.

Gangrel is standing on the steps beneath the bones of Grima with Aversa at his side as the Shepherds crest the large dune to the east and come into view. Chrom shouts a battle cry, and the Shepherds engage the Plegian guards.

It all goes so well at first. Enemy dark mages fall to Robin and Virion's arrows, the wyvern brigade is stopped by Chrom, Nowi, and their mages, and their melee units strike down Plegian soldiers with ease as they fight with flawless teamwork. This is exactly the sort of small unit combat the Shepherds are best at.

And then it changes, it all goes wrong. Just as Vaike strikes down the enemy general with his hammer Adversa shouts something loud and raises her hand. An army of Risen: great knights, snipers, sorcerers, and berserkers all rise from the ground in the courtyard. Robin screams at their fliers to flee, and the pegasus knights retreat in terror from the sudden barrage of arrows and wind magic. Their main force is pushed out of the courtyard and scattering on the dunes by the might of the powerful Risen soldiers.

The worst part is being able to see Emmeryn while all this happens. Her expression goes from hopeful to distraught. In his heart Robin knows they've failed, but he keeps shooting, keeps shouting orders, hoping for a breakthrough, a _miracle_.

He doesn't get one. Gangrel shouts an ultimatum, and Emmeryn steps off the platform to stop Chrom from giving a dangerous answer. She falls gracefully, almost _gently_ to the floor, which she hits silently and then she goes very still.

Death, even elegant as it was this time, is devastating.

###

Virion did not speak falsely when he said his own plans would have them all dead in a week. It's only through whatever genius Robin possesses that they're all still alive at the moment. Even the advanced Risen summoned by Aversa, veterans of the previous war if Miriel's analysis of the insignia on their garments is correct, fall eventually to Robin's plans. A great knight is still weak to magic, a sorcerer is most dangerous when wounded so it must be killed in a quick burst, snipers are still helpless in melee, and berserkers still have trouble hitting agile opponents.

Through a fighting retreat to the midmire, the Shepherds survive. While Chrom slaughters through the Plegian soldiers blocking their way out, Virion and Robin pepper their pursuers with arrows. Miriel and Ricken lend their magic to taking down the dangerous great knights still on the Shepherds' heels, per Robin's orders they use a hit-and-run style abusing the mobility of their new horses.

Robin is in a rage though, much like captain Chrom. He snarls out orders with a ferocity the others are unused to, and he misses more than one shot purely due to the shaking of his hands in anger. Virion keeps close to the man for the whole of the day, keeping him from doing anything reckless. More than once he has to defend Robin when the man stays in one place too long and almost takes a flux to the chest.

One of Kahn Basilio's people, a woman by the name of Olivia, meets them at the exit of the midmire to smuggle them out. Chrom goes from raging to almost numb, but Robin doesn't change. He _fumes_ the entire way back as Olivia leads their group through a winding forgotten rocky trail out of the desert back to Ferox.

###

Gangrel's death and the end of the war come in a rush. The others cheer and laugh, the people throw festivals and celebrate, but Robin remains hostile. Even Chrom, as melancholy and despondent as he was the days after Emmeryn's death, is better now, _happy_ even.

Robin isn't though. He claims he _lost_ the war, no matter what the historians will say. When everything was laid on the line and the thing that mattered the most to them, their symbol of peace, was in danger, he _failed_.

The tactician has spent the last two months in the library, pouring over strategy books, battle records, and treatises on tactics. He's looking for some way that he could have won that fight, some way he could have changed the war.

Virion sees it differently. He sees the truth: Robin is looking for a way to prove that he's guilty. The man wants desperately to be fault, to be the one everyone can point at and say he made a mistake. He _wants_ to be the scapegoat to help others feel better about themselves... but the tactician fails to realize it isn't necessary anymore. Everyone else has moved on; they haven't _forgotten_ , but they aren't looking for someone to blame.

Only Robin still hasn't found peace. He looks to blame the only person he can: himself.

The duke of Rosanne could have left back home months ago to try and help his people. Perhaps he _should_ have left by now. He's only acting as a glorified messenger at the moment, relaying messages from his home on the oncoming Valmese threat to Chrom and the Kahns.

He knows why he's staying though. Robin needs help, and despite what the others might think it isn't Chrom the tactician is closest too. Virion sees a friend in need, and he's never been one to abandon a cause.

Months pass with little progress. Every day Virion walks into the library, food in hand, and finds Robin sitting at the same large table with his ever-growing pile of books. That same tattered battle map he used on the fateful day is set in front of him, punctured by a thousand pins and marred by coffee rings.

The tactician looks tired. His brown hair is long from not being cut, and his green eyes have dark rings under them. Some days he's sleeping when the duke steps in, face pressed against some book or the table where he passed out.

Every day they have the same conversation, though the exact words vary. Virion tries to get the man to go outside, and Robin refuses saying that he's so close to his proof.

It's only the sixth month when their talk finally takes a new turn. Virion walks in with a plate of food and cup of coffee, only to find Robin not slumped over his books or staring into his map. The tactician is instead looking right at the duke, and accepts the meal and drink with a quiet "thank you."

Silence follows as Robin takes his fill. Virion absently dusts off a few of the books the tactician hasn't used in a while, and waits to see if the man will start today's conversation himself for once.

Much to the duke's surprise, Robin does. "Why are you still here Virion?" He rasps, staring with dead green eyes at the duke. "The war ended a long time ago. You have a country to rule."

"So I do." Virion agrees. He crosses his legs and folds his hands to hide his surprise and sudden nervousness. He can't screw this up, this is the most interest in the outside world Robin has shown in six months. "But dear Rossanne is in the capable hands of my retainer Cherche. There is little for me to do there that I can't do here. We are at war and in need of allies like Ylisse and Ferox, and what better way to forge alliances than speaking with their rulers myself?"

"You already have your alliances." The tactician says curtly. "The Khans agreed to that months ago, and Chrom was willing to help from day one."

"So you _have_ been keeping track of outside affairs." Virion murmurs. He sighs and leans forward, meeting Robin's gaze evenly. "I stayed for you dear Tactician. Someone needed to keep an eye on you, to keep you from going over the edge. What better than a close friend for the job?"

"Someone who doesn't have other important responsibilities would have been a better choice." Robin says harshly. "You're not needed here Virion. You can go. I'm not yours to look after. The palace servants will keep me from killing myself with exhaustion."

"Perhaps." Virion says through pursed lips. "But I care far too much to abandon you old friend. I did not struggle through teaching you to ride and shoot to see you waste away in a library, dwelling on events far out of your control. I did not play games with you every night and exchange banter and jokes to see your shining personality squandered under self-pity and self-loathing."

"Then what _did_ you do it for?" Robin snaps. His uncut fingernails scratch the map under his hands, tearing holes in the parchment. "Why did you stay? Why are you still here?"

"That's easy dear man." Virion chuckles. "I'm not known for subtly, but I tried my very best when dealing with you to take things slow. Perhaps too slow. I think it's about time I showed my hand."

The duke reaches into his pocket, and pulls out a small ring. Contrary to his usual flamboyancy it's a rather simple ring made of silver, with a small engraving of a rose carried by a bird. A robin.

"I had this made long ago, during the height of the war." Virion says quietly. "Two weeks before Emmeryn's fall, when you'd finally learned to ride the horse." His mouth quirks into a gentle smile. "You were ecstatic that day, and it only occurred to me then it was rare to see a genuine smile on your face, but I had the honour off receiving one such smile."

Robin is silent as Virion drops the ring into his hand. He stares blankly at the engraving, not sure what to think.

"It's still yours you know." Virion hums. The duke stands up and dusts off his clothes. "Now, this place is horribly dusty my friend. I think I'm going to get some fresh air. A walk around the palace gardens I think." He turns in place and struts out of the building, leaving the door open for a single shaft of light to intrude.

The tactician watches him leave. Green eyes look out the open door for a long minute afterwards as thoughts whirl through the tactician's mind. His hand grips the ring tightly, fingering the engraving.

Robin finally, _finally,_ stands up from his spot at the table. He looks long and hard at the map in front of him taking in all the pin marks, notes, and multi-colored circles and lines. The man reaches over to the bottle of black ink at the corner of the map, and slowly tips it over. Black ink spills out, ruining the map an erasing all the work Robin has put in over the last half a year.

With aching muscles Robin pulls on his coat, dusty from months of lying on the back of his chair, and walks out the door.

* * *

 **I like this chapter. I'm not sure it's the best one I've ever done, heck I'm not sure if it's in the top half, but I love it.**

* * *

 **Darkness is complete** **:** Maybe?

 **Wernher von Braun** **:** Kleptomaniac is unlikely, but already on the list. Literal-minded is minor, but a good idea.

 **Agent of Chaos 112** **:** No.

 **Guardian54** **:** You can write Plegia and Emm how you want, I'm not necessarily going to do it your way.

Crack ficks aren't my thing really. I take weird concepts and try to run with them, but I don't think I've ever delved into crack.

I never actually said she did pheromones at all. She just looks attractive and acts seductive.

 **Guest** **:** I'll put it on the list.

 **Mram99** **:** I was thinking 'low-key sociopath' when I wrote her, except I gave her room to eventually develop a more human mentality.

 **Guest** **:** I like it. Doesn't really fit _Robin_ specifically, but I still like it.

 **SirHaloFan** **:** Sure? A bit darker than what I usually do though, so perhaps don't expect it any time soon.

 **W for Wumbo** **:** Animorphs? I'm not familiar with that. Explain.

 **Darklight of the 0 arcana** **:** Aha, but my rule doesn't allow for it… or at least not in this collection. Except maybe that minor continuation idea Vanderspiegel suggested for a chapter…

 **Apricot Jam Man :** Cyborg? Interesting. Rebellion? Difficult.


	34. Savepoint Robin

**Disclaimer** **:** **I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **Minor: Dark Flier, Immortal, Boxer (Pugilist), Exploitive, Swordmaster, Angry Cinnamon Roll, Tripping, Perpetual Cheer, Chef, Blacksmith, Pegasus Knight, Teacher, Librarian, Masochist, Literal-Minded.**

 **Standard: Elemental, Deaf, Foreign, Future sight, Tiny, Nurse/Medic, Valmese Tactician, Medusa, Racer, Amazon, Genderfluid, Gift from Validar + evil to good, Mind Control, Banshee, Bard, Old, Dancer, Mimic, Emotionless, Khan, Crippling Overspecialization (Idiot Savant), Coward, ESP, PTSD, POW, Magician, Mute, Savage, Handicapped, Secret Helper, Crazy, Respawn, MPD, Morpher, Dreamwalker, Motherly, Lich, Twins, Regenerating, Sadist, Animal Whisperer (horse/wyvern), Naga/Tiki Assistant, Sleepless, Goddess.**

 **Unlikely: Chrom's child, Minotaur, Paladin, Werewolf, Assassin, Future Soldier, Bounty Hunter, Weather control, Kleptomaniac, Druid, Steampunk, Shadow Familiar, Magic Augmentation, Lucky, Exile, Piper (Charmer), Gladiator, Witch Doctor, Centaur, Drunk, Demon, Punk, Harpy, Revenant, Luck Manipulation, Demon Summoner, Megalomaniac, Kitsune, King of Plegia, Mood Ring, Reverse Aging, Hammerspace, Prostitute, Demon hunter, Cyborg, Maid/Servant/Butler, Deadlord, Rebellion, Einherjar, Trap.**

 **Other: Pokemon Trainer, Self-insert, Second Generation replacement, Dimensional Walker, Cycle, Fates.**

 **An idea of my own devising. Despite what the name would imply, it's different from Timesnap Robin.**

* * *

Robin glances out the window. Rain crashes down in the garden outside, and rivers of water slide off the the leaves of the trees and make muddy the well-maintained paths. The tactician nods to herself and glances down at her stopwatch.

"Two forty." She mutters. "So it started between now and two thirty." The brown-haired girl stands up, stretches, doesn't bother to put her book away, and whispers: "Return to set mark."

There's a feeling of falling for a moment as the world warps around her. The bookcases disintegrate and the floors melt as Robin's magic reworks reality around her. Sound has totally cut out, and all she can smell is ozone. This is familiar to her though, she's done this hundreds of times before even since her bout of amnesia.

All of a sudden the world snaps back into focus. She's standing just inside her room with her hand on the knob, exactly where she set her mark that morning. Unphased, she steps out into the hallway just like she did before and moves to breakfast.

"Good morning Chrom. You're up early." She greets, sliding into a seat next to the prince.

"I could say the same for you." The prince chuckles. "But yes, I am. I have a meeting today."

"Really?" Robin says, pretending to be surprised. She's gone through this once already and can predict almost everything Chrom will say.

"Yep. I'm going to be meeting with the stoneworking guilds today to see about expanding the east wing." The prince sighs. "It's going to be boring one, and it'll take a while to walk back."

"Bring a cloak, it's going to rain in the afternoon." Robin advises.

"Another one of your predictions?" Chrom chuckles. "Alright, if you say so."

"I haven't been wrong yet have I?" The tactician hums. "A woman is always right."

"I thought that was relationship advice, not a general fact." The prince says with a smile. "Thought when it applies to you specifically, I suppose it might as well always be true."

"You flatter me." Robin says. "Erm… _don't_ take what I said as relationship advice though. It's actually really bad advice."

"Whatever you say Robin."

###

Someone knocks on the door, probably Chrom. Robin imagines he's done work for the day so they can spend some time relaxing together, preferably with a glass of wine and a good board game.

Robin takes a moment to set her time mark: a magic signature that she can return to at any moment with a few words and a quick spell. No one else is aware of her power, and she likes it that way. Revealing such a thing would put a massive burden on her shoulders, everyone would start expecting so much of her. Maybe it's selfish, but she likes her secret.

She always sets a mark before any extended time with Chrom. He tends to reveal personal misgivings or problems he's having, and Robin likes to be able to help him with those. That usually requires multiple takes as she runs through the next few days trying to find a way to help him or to see what advice solves the problem. When she _does_ find the solution she goes to her mark one last time, fixes up any last details, and continues life as normal from there.

"That you Chrom?" The tactician calls, having finished her mark.

"Yeah. I'm done for the day, are you busy?"

"Nope, I'm good. What game this time?"

"Can you just bring chess? I don't think I can handle war of worlds this time."

"Tired, are we?" Robin says. She nabs the small travel chess set from its place in her drawer. She moves to the door and opens it revealing the prince standing on the other side. He's dressed more casually than usual, just in a basic baggy shirt and pants. The tactician actually feels _over_ -dressed in her usual longcoat.

"A bit. Not too much for wine and a game or five though." He chuckles. "My room? Next to the fireplace?"

"Yes!" Robin says eagerly. Chrom has these _amazingly_ comfy chairs in his room. They're the perfect place to curl up and read… probably. Robin has never actually done reading there because it isn't her room.

They move over to his room and drop into the chairs. Chrom grabs the wine and Robin arranges the chess set. The prince pours them both a glass and they start the first game.

Time passes slowly, blissfully so. They chat about this and that as they play, though often the game is interrupted when they stumble upon a particularly interesting topic of discussion.

At some point during the fourth game, a good hour and a bit after the sun has set, Chrom asks something that peaks Robin's interest. "Robin…"

"Yeah?"

"Do you think I'd make a good father?"

The tactician gently shakes her glass, watching the liquid inside swirl in a slow circle. "What brings this up? Something on your mind?"

"Not really." Chrom says. He goes to pour himself more wine, pauses, and sets his drink aside. "I'm just thinking about the future I guess. Ever since Miriel and Vaike got together I've been dwelling on the idea. I never really considered that someday I might follow in their footsteps and get married."

"Ah…" Robin chuckles lightly. "Deep thoughts."

"Sorta." The man grins.

"So what's up? Someone in mind maybe?" The tactician hums. She grabs a knight and flicks it closer to the center of the board; a spot supported by her white bishop and a pawn.

"Maybe."

"Maybe?"

"I've been mulling a lot of things over."

"I can tell. Everything fine?"

"Of yes, I'm fine. It's just that time in my life I guess."

"Puberty?"

"Ha ha. You know what I mean. I'm a young adult having to figure out what the hell I'm doing with my life. It's only really occurred to me recently that I won't be running around the country stabbing bandits my entire life. At some point I'll have to start dealing with politics, and some point I'll be old, and at _some_ point I might have different priorities." He whispers softly. "Eventually I think I'd like to have a kid. Maybe not now, but... "

"Eventually."

"Exactly."

###

The next morning Robin doesn't set her mark as usual. She chooses to keep the last one, the one she set before her evening with Chrom. She walks out of her room to the dining hall and greets everyone as she steps inside. Chrom, looking a tad hungover, also says hello when Robin takes a seat beside him.

Robin hasn't told him about her self-imposed mission. She never tells him when her powers are concerned. This is a particularly big undertaking though, and she honestly considers alerting Chrom of her powers just so he knows and cooperates with her test.

The impulse passes and Robin doesn't speak. She's just answering a simple question, and this idea sounds totally insane even _if_ he knows about her powers. She's going to spend multiple _years_ of her life watching him just so she can answer the question "Do you think I'd make a good father?"

It sounds crazy, but Robin isn't concerned. It's not like she's wasting her life. Her body also reverses with time, so it's not like she's shaving years off her life by doing this. She'll go back to being just as young as she was before, but with a bit more knowledge.

Ooh, she should pick up a new hobby or two. That way she'll have a few new skills when she returns to her mark.

Still, it's the first time she's done something that takes this long. The longest she's ever gone before returning to a mark is a week. Chrom getting married and having a child will take at _least_ a year if he has a whirlwind romance, and probably a few years longer. This is a big commitment.

" _But I can help him make a better life decision with this knowledge_." Robin thinks. " _It's worth it. I'll pay attention to everything, not just if he's a good father. That way I can always give advice and help him out when I go back."_

###

One month. Nothing significant. The Shepherds go about killing bandits and keeping the peace as usual. Chrom shows no particular interest in anyone; even Sumia's obvious advances fail to have an effect on him.

Two months. Same as the first.

Three. Still nothing.

At four months Robin starts to realize just how long this is going to take. Who knows when Chrom is going to fall in love? What if he isn't interested in anyone who's a Shepherd?

The tactician decides to start influencing things a bit to try and speed the process up. Nothing _intrusive_ , she just pairs him up with different people on the battlefield to try and help him bond with the girls. She also changes around the chore schedule so he's working with a different girls fairly frequently.

Robin fully realizes how manipulative this is, but she isn't worried. She'd never do this if she planned to _keep_ this version of the world.

Over the next three months other events start to interrupt. Plegia declares war, and Robin finds she can't sacrifice proper strategy to pair Chrom up with random Shepherds anymore. It's a hassle really. It would be so much easier if Chrom would show an interest in someone, then Robin wouldn't have to worry about all that for a year and could just focus on getting this annoying war over with.

At least there are more women to try and pair Chrom up with. They recruit quite a few as they smash their way through Plegia's criminally under-trained forces. The prince doesn't take to any of them though, much to Robin's frustration.

Emmeryn's execution is one of the few things to properly shock Robin into focusing on the war. Because she can't return to her mark without going back almost ten months, she only has one shot at saving Emmeryn this time.

Well. One shot until she goes back to her mark to give Chrom advice… which might be an issue if she lets Emmeryn die. The stress is going to mean Chrom might not get married for a while. She needs a damn good plan.

"Pegasus knights here, cavaliers there, Kellam should go there…" Robin mumbles, working fervently on her map. A good plan now means she can recycle it, less work next time.

"How are we doing Robin?" Chrom asks, stepping inside the strategy tent.

"I have some semblance of a plan." She mutters, and stabs another pin into the map. "Gah… I'm wishing we didn't waste that wyrmslayer earlier, we could use it now."

She notices the prince's grimace, and hurries to reassure him.

"We'll be fine Chrom. Emmeryn will be fine." The girl says. "Like I said, I have a plan. It would be _easier_ with the wyrmslayer, but we'll get through this without it no problem."

Chrom places a hand on her shoulder and gives her a grim nod. "I have faith in you Robin. Thank you for your work."

###

The plan works for the most part. Vaike suffered a few more scratches than she'd have liked, and Lon'qu may have a permanent leg injury now, but at least no one died and Emmeryn was saved.

Robin also has an idea that she really should have considered before. _She_ should try bonding with Chrom.

Well, less _bonding_ and more _seducing_. If Robin has realized anything it's that Chrom is thick-headed, and she mostly just wants to figure out if he's a good father. She doesn't want to wait two years for Chrom to finally realize he's in love with someone, so the best way to try and make this work is to see if she can seduce him herself. She'll need to be as direct and aggressive as possible or this will probably go right over his head.

Robin doesn't exactly have experience with that, but it shouldn't be too difficult. All she needs is to look confident and show sexual interest. That's not hard.

She waits until the end of the war. It takes another few months, she's past the one year mark of her mission. A _year_ devoted to trying to find if Chrom is a good father, and he isn't even married yet. Robin has been paying attention to his other life choices, but there hasn't been much of significance.

When they defeat Gangrel, Robin starts putting her plan into motion. She makes it look accidental, people are known to be impulsive when overcome with emotion after all. After the king falls she cheers with all their other troops. She jumps in joy and plasters a smile on her face, pretending to be overcome with emotion, and when Chrom wanders close to try and talk to her she snaps out and pulls him into a hug.

The prince is surprised, but allows her to squeeze him until she "calms down".

So starts Robin's deliberate seduction. She begins hanging around him as often as possible, "accidentally" bumps against him much more often, and leaves the top buttons of her coat undone to show her cleavage when she leans over. The most important part is just being forwards; she tries to have meals with him as often as possible and even takes on some of his work now that she barely has any.

The first time she asks him to go see a play with her he's surprised, but accepts.

It's working.

###

"I do." Robin says with a smile, a genuine one. The crowd cheers when Chrom leans forwards and kisses her on the mouth.

The tactician possessively clings to the prince for the rest of the day. She nibbles his ears whenever she gets a chance, presses herself into his side, and generally showers her new husband with affection. Just because he won't remember any of this when she resets time doesn't mean she doesn't enjoy seeing him blush.

It's a shame this isn't permanent though. She really does enjoy doing this. Some point during her seduction she actually ended up falling in love with him. It's not that she didn't like him before, it's just that she was coming onto him as a means to an end.

She hasn't forgotten her goal though. Chrom needs to have a kid so she can tell him if he's a good father or not. That's why she's doing all this, that's why she's spent a year and a half just getting to this point.

Yes. So she just needs to get pregnant, and spend basically another _full year_ waiting for that kid to come along.

Hmm… maybe she should stock up on books.

###

"Thank you dear." Robin murmurs. She accepts the plateful of food from the man, and eagerly digs into it.

"How are you faring today?" The prince asks, sitting on a chair next to the bed where she lies. "Aches again?"

"A bit. Some morning sickness too." The tactician says casually. "Oh, and I think the baby kicked somewhere nasty. Shooting pain for a moment."

Chrom snorts and shakes her head. "You don't seem all that phased."

"Meh, I expected this to suck. Honestly it's better than I thought." She hums, stuffing some cheese into her mouth. "The worst part is no wine."

"Really? Not the sickness, the exhaustion, the aches?"

"Of course not. Wine usually solves that, so therefore not having wine is the worst." Robin says simply. "I'm a regular drankard after all."

Chrom rolls his eyes. "Honey, you have _half_ the amount I do when we share a bottle, and as far as I'm aware you don't drink otherwise."

"Details, details."

The prince is kind of amazed. If he didn't know better he'd think his wife was talking about a head cold and not being _pregnant_. All the discomfort and pain don't seem to phase her in the slightest. How can she be so calm day after day? "You're incredible."

"Nah, I'm just chill. This cheese though, _this_ in incredible."

###

"Ow."

"That has to be the single most _understated_ reaction I've ever seen." Maribelle says in slight disbelief. "Is that really it?"

"I mean it _hurts,_ but I've had worse." She mutters, trying to keep her breathing steady. _Gods, hurry up kid. I don't have all day…_ "You remember that time I got mauled by a wyvern? Now _that_ was agony."

Lissa shakes her head. "Geeze. Only you Robin…"

It takes five more minutes for the baby to _finally_ come out. Lissa waves her heal staff over the exhausted tactician while Maribelle gently cleans off the wailing infant and swaddles it in blankets before handing them to Robin.

"A girl." Maribelle whispers as she hands the baby to the tactician. "Shall I get Chrom?"

"Of course." The girl nods. She happily holds the (now quiet) infant to her chest where they lie mostly immobile, only occasionally moving their tiny balled hands to struggle against the swaddling blankets.

Chrom tries to look calm, but he's never been good at hiding his emotions. He rushes to Robin's side to look down at the bundle in her arms. "Oh gods…"

"I know right? So cute…" Robin coos. "A girl."

"Lucina." Chrom breathes, voicing the name they'd chosen in advance. "Hello little one."

###

Raising an infant is _exhausting_ , and Robin can't say she enjoys it. Don't get her wrong, she loves her little girl, but dealing with her constant wailing is grating.

Chrom makes things a lot easier. Aside from feeding, he can help deal with the rest of Lucina's other needs. Robin can say with confidence that he _does_ make a good father… she's just waiting a few more months as a safeguard, she wants to make sure he's still supportive when the novelty wears off.

That's what she said to herself five months ago. Chrom has proven himself just fine. Robin is just reluctant to go back. For all of Lucina's wailing Robin loves her daughter, and she's reluctant to lose Chrom's affection.

"Honey…" Chrom mutters tiredly, putting an arm over her frame and nuzzling her neck. "Why are you awake so late?"

"Thinking." She says quietly. "Dear…"

"Yes?"

"What if I told you I had a mission?"

"To what?"

"Remember two years ago, when you asked me if you'd make a good father?"

"I do." The prince mumbles. "What about it?"

"What if I told you that all of this, our romance, our marriage, Lucina, was all manipulated by me just so I can answer that question?"

Chrom snorts. "A bit late for an answer."

"What if I also told you I could jump back in time, and just never told you?" Robin adds. "That I could go back to the time to when you asked that, and give you an answer. That _all_ of this was just to answer that question?"

"I'd say that's insane." The prince mumbles. "You'd never go that far just for a stupid question."

Robin is silent. Eventually Chrom falls back asleep. The tactician leans down and kisses him on the forehead, and then walks back to Lucina's bedroom and does the same to the little girl. The lady stares down at the child, watching as she breathes peacefully in quiet sleep.

She could just not go back. She could stay, set a new time mark. She could live this life… but it was dishonest. Robin used extensive manipulation to get here, she let Lon'qu sustain a permanent injury that could have been avoided if she'd just been willing to set new marks.

Robin can't keep this. She knows that. It wouldn't be fair to Chrom, and not to everyone else she played with to get where she is.

"Return to set mark."

###

"Is… Is that you Chrom?" Robin asks hoarsely, remembering the words she spoke just after setting the mark.

"Yeah. I'm done for the day, are you busy?"

"No, I'm… fine. Can we play chess?"

"That sounds good. I don't think I can handle war of worlds this time."

"Tired, are we?" Robin says. She nabs the small travel chess set from its place in her drawer. She moves to the door and opens it revealing the prince standing on the other side. He's dressed just the same as Robin remembered, and handsome as always.

"A bit. Not too much for wine and a game or five though." He chuckles. "My room? Next to the fireplace?"

"Yes please." Robin murmurs. Those chairs are incredible. She spent so many nights curled up in one of those next to the fire.

They move over to his room and drop into the chairs. Chrom grabs the wine and Robin arranges the chess set. The prince pours them both a glass and they start the first game.

Time passes slowly. They chat about this and that as they play, and Robin drowns in nostalgia. It's so painfully _casual_ though, she already misses being able to cuddle him.

Eventually the fourth game comes, a good hour and a bit after the sun has set, Chrom asks something that peaks Robin's interest. "Robin…"

"Yeah?" The tactician's heart pounds, this is the question she's waited two years to be able to answer adequately.

"Are you alright? You look stressed." Chrom says, worried.

Robin stares. He didn't ask. She… she can try again. "Return to set mark."

Chrom fades away in front of her, and the world melts and vaporizes before her eyes. The smell of ozone fills her nose, and sound totally cuts out.

It snaps back into focus, she's in her room again. "Is that you Chrom?"

"Yeah. I'm done for the day, are you busy?"

"No, I'm good." Robin says, forcing herself to be calm. "What game do you want to play?"

"Can you just bring chess? I don't think I can handle war of worlds this time."

"Tired, are we?" Robin says. She nabs the small travel chess set from its place in her drawer. She moves to the door and opens it revealing the prince standing on the other side. He's handsome as always, even in his casual baggy clothing.

"A bit. Not too much for wine and a game or five though." He chuckles. "My room? Next to the fireplace?"

"Yes please."

Robin waits impatiently for the question to come up. Four games, three hours, and he _finally_ says "Robin."

"Yes?"

"Do you think I'd make a good father?"

"Absolutely." Robin says without hesitation. "You'd treasure your little girl over anyone else, and would make a _fantastic_ husband."

"Ah, w-well." Chrom coughs, flustered. "Thank you. I didn't think you'd have such an opinion on it."

"I have full trust you'll be incredible." She says firmly. "Don't ever doubt you will."

The prince fidgets in place, not expecting Robin's unabashed confidence in him. "I-I… I don't know what to say."

"Did you have someone in mind?" Robin asks.

"W-Well…" Chrom coughs, getting ever more red. "I'd prefer not to say."

 _That's not what he said last time_. "Why not? You can trust me."

The prince looks _very_ uncomfortable. "Look, I've drunk too much. Can we shelve this conversation until I'm in a good state of mind?"

Robin's fists clench for a moment, but she forces the tension out of them. "Of course it can. Don't let me push you around Chrom."

They finish their game and go to bed. Robin almost forgets that she doesn't sleep with the prince anymore. It's going to be strange adapting back to the way things used to be.

She'll do things properly this time. No manipulation, no permanent injuries. Gods it's going to be weird sleeping alone though… Hopefully she can win Chrom over when she's being _genuine_ , because she already misses the man.

* * *

 **Yes, I'm aware that Robin is a bit sociopathic and obsessive here. That's kinda the point, she's supposed to be a bit deranged, why else would she spend** _ **two years**_ **answering a simple throwaway question?**

* * *

 **TwinsMadness** **:** Glad to hear it.

 **Darkness is complete** **:** Sure, I like that idea. Simple, but… I have ideas.

 **W for Wumbo** **:** I suppose that's usable, but I also find it's very similar to taguel and probably not distinct enough to be worth doing.

 **Nimaka** **:** That's great! I'm happy.

 **Bakururu** **:** Must be a better chapter than I thought it was. I never known when something is heartwarming and when something is just… okay.

It's never been suggested that Robin him/herself is an Einherjar. I'll note it down.

 **Guest :** I guess? Unlikely, but sure.


	35. Old Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **Minor: Dark Flier, Immortal, Boxer (Pugilist), Exploitive, Swordmaster, Angry Cinnamon Roll, Tripping, Perpetual Cheer, Chef, Blacksmith, Pegasus Knight, Teacher, Librarian, Masochist, Literal-Minded, Authoritative, Middle Age.**

 **Standard: Elemental, Deaf, Foreign, Future sight, Tiny, Nurse/Medic, Valmese Tactician, Medusa, Racer, Amazon, Genderfluid, Gift from Validar + evil to good, Mind Control, Banshee, Bard, Dancer, Mimic, Emotionless, Khan, Crippling Overspecialization (Idiot Savant), Coward, ESP, PTSD, POW, Magician, Mute, Savage, Handicapped, Secret Helper, Crazy, Respawn, MPD, Morpher, Dreamwalker, Motherly, Lich, Twins, Regenerating, Sadist, Animal Whisperer (horse/wyvern), Naga/Tiki Assistant, Sleepless, Goddess, Plant, Fairy.**

 **Unlikely: Chrom's child, Minotaur, Paladin, Werewolf, Assassin, Future Soldier, Bounty Hunter, Weather control, Kleptomaniac, Druid, Steampunk, Shadow Familiar, Magic Augmentation, Lucky, Exile, Piper (Charmer), Gladiator, Witch Doctor, Centaur, Drunk, Demon, Punk, Harpy, Revenant, Luck Manipulation, Demon Summoner, Megalomaniac, Kitsune, King of Plegia, Mood Ring, Reverse Aging, Hammerspace, Prostitute, Demon hunter, Cyborg, Maid/Servant/Butler, Deadlord, Rebellion, Einherjar, Trap, Yandere, Living Weapon, Size Shifter, Queen of Plegia, Gluttonous, Stretchy, Ninja, Alchemist.**

 **Other: Pokemon Trainer, Self-insert, Second Generation replacement, Dimensional Walker, Cycle, Fates.**

 **This is Old Robin, requested by Rotciv557 and Ocharlos. Admittedly this quirk doesn't change nearly as much as I expected. Old Robin is very much like normal Robin. It was really hard to** _ **not**_ **write in first person this entire chapter, and I don't know why.**

* * *

Robin wakes up. He glances at his tent flap, frowning at the sight of the night sky. Soft footsteps pad on the dirt nearby with the tell-tale clanking of armor.

Frederick's up early, _again_.

Sometimes the tactician hates being a light sleeper. It's the natural result of living through two wars, constantly on guard for ambush when forced to sleep in the field. Tactician he may be, but Robin never slept in a cozy tent distant from the frontlines. He brought this on himself he supposes, but he would never say he regrets it.

"Gods kid, can't you just sleep in like a normal person?" The man groans, pushing himself out of his bedroll. He throws on his cloak: a tattered garment that proudly shows its history of slashes and burns in the form of numerous stitches and patches. This is his second, the first was destroyed in the Ylisse-Plegia religious war ten years ago by an enemy sage. It saved his life, giving him just enough protection to throw it off and avoid being killed by the fire that burned along his back

The white-haired man pushes out into camp, grimacing at the cold of the Plegian desert while the sun is down. It's familiar, but that doesn't make it comfortable.

"Ah, Sir Robin." Frederick greets quietly, having noticed him immediately. "My pardon if I woke you."

"Up early?" Robin asks, stretching. He glances around, seeing no other Shepherd awake besides the guards (Sully and Stahl). "What are you _doing_?"

"Doing my weapon drills." The knight says simply. "I was on my way to the training area."

"Doing drills by choice first thing in the morning?" Robin snorts. "Gee, what a _great_ idea."

"Not _just_ drills." Frederick says proudly, missing Robin's sarcasm."I also exercised, stoked the fire for breakfast, prepared tea for milord, and consumed one egg."

"And you do this every morning?"

"Indeed."

"And you go to sleep later than everyone else?" The tactician asks flatly.

"Well yes…" Frederick says slowly, starting to realize Robin's disapproval.

"You're a maniac kid." Robin sighs. "That ain't enough sleep for a soldier."

"With all due respect Sir Robin, Milord bears a far heavier burden than myself. If I can be of service with extra work, it is my _duty_ to do so."

"Actually, I'm fairly sure it's not." The older man says flatly. "I have a copy of your retainer contract _and_ Shepherd contract, and both say nothing about unnecessary extra work unless _ordered_ to, which you haven't been."

"I do not mean literally." The knight responds curtly. "It is my duty as a good man."

"Still-"

"Gooday Robin. I must be off."

Robin watches the man walk off to the training area and shakes his head. "Now _that_ is a dam waiting to burst."

###

"Never thought I'd be on this side if another war rolled around…" Robin mutters, pouring two a glasses of wine.

"Then why are you?" Chrom asks, accepting a glass. He downs it in one swig and pours himself another. "Gods, today was horrible."

The old man nods absently, swirling his drink in the glass. "Gangrel has the wrong of it, I suppose that's why I'm here and not booking it back to Plegia. Both of the other times Ylisse was the aggressor, and _they_ were in the wrong. This time it's Plegia, all thanks to the Mad King."

"So we get another war." The prince grimaces. "I had hoped to never be on the front lines of one, I was too young during the last one, but fate cares little for my wishes."

"Smart man to never hope for war." Robin murmurs. "Too many young men wish for it, _dream_ of it. They hope for glory and money and victory for their country. Instead they get blood, tears, permanent injuries, and a pittance in pay compared to what their service deserves."

"Bandits were dangerous enough, but _professional_ soldiers? I'm not sure…" Chrom trails off. "People _die_ in war Robin. I don't want to lose one of the Shepherds."

"I can't say no one has died under my watch." The old man admits reluctantly. "Mostly when I was young, foolish, but even in the final days of the last war I still lost people. I can do my best for us, but I'm only a man…"

They both fall into solemn silence, nursing their drinks. Eventually Chrom gets up and nods respectfully before saying. "I'm going to find Sumia."

Robin nods. He understands. Today was a _terrible_ day, and the touch of a close friend is always comforting. The emotional overload is also probably why Chrom admits such a thing out loud, he's too drained to be abashed.

The tactician once had a dream of finding someone. It never manifested though. A combination of Robin lacking non-war-related skills and being nearly thirty after the first war was over meant he'd missed the prime of his life. Sure he was rich enough to attract suitors even now, but they were all too young. Robin has _standards_ he holds himself to after all.

Sighing, the man gets up and grabs his coat. He should go to bed soon or his joints will ache in the morning. He'd just dwell on his own problems if he stayed up anyways.

###

"You asked to see me?" Frederick asks, ducking inside the tent.

"Yes, I did." Robin says seriously. "Sit down, please."

The knight does so. He sits perfectly straight with hands linked patiently in front of him.

"Now…" Robin says slowly, flipping to the right page in his notepad. "I've noticed a bit of a problem with your behaviour."

"Truly?" Frederick asks, raising an eyebrow. "If this is about those posters again-"

"No, no, not those." The tactician huffs. "I speak of your fanaticism towards your leiges. It's becoming problematic."

"How so?"

"You're taking stupid risks in battle Frederick." Robin says bluntly. "You're putting yourself at risk, blocking every attack for _everyone_. You can't do everything at once!"

"Of course I don't, I leave the distance strikes to our mages and Virion." Frederick scoffs.

"Frederick…" Robin says in a warning tone. "Don't play stupid with me. You know what I mean."

"Yes, I do." The knight admits. "However, I think I have done fairly well all things considered. There is only a risk to myself and not the others, which is more than acceptable."

The tactician decidedly does _not_ like that. "Yeah… about that. You're sorta _wrong_. Doing what you're doing is a great way to get yourself _killed_ by running around the field like a maniac. You're going to exhaust yourself Frederick."

"It it my _job_ to be the shield of the Shepherds." Frederick says sternly. "So long as I die saving the others, I have done my duty."

"That's not in your contracts." Robin responds, equally stern. "We need you _alive_ , and the others can handle themselves. I don't put them in positions they can't deal with Frederick, or do you not trust my tactics?"

"I do…" The man says slowly. "But I cannot fail them as their protector, and if that means running around the field like a maniac so be it."

"A protector is only useful so long as he's _alive_ to do the protecting."

"And if he's alive because his charge is dead he's worse than useless, he's a _failure_!" Frederick barks back with unusual venom. "If his liege or his comrades suffer a permanent injury because of his inability to protect them, he has _failed_!"

"Not always." Robin responds. He takes a deep calming breath, and continues. "Most of the time I would agree, if you liege dies in your care, it's your fault. _However_ during war, or at least on the battlefield, he is _not_ in your care. He is in _mine_. I am the tactician, you just follow orders. Your comrades are similarly not in your care. People _die_ during battles Frederick, you can't always stop it, and when it happens it won't be your fault."

The muscles in his jaw bulge as he grinds his teeth. "I refuse to believe that. If a Shepherd is injured, then it is _my_ fault for not being there to protect them."

"That's just stupid. This is _war_ , shit happens." Robin says bluntly. "You're too smart for this Frederick, stop degrading yourself with such a childish way of thinking."

The man looks furious, and speaks in a low growl. "No. You Sir, are speaking out of turn. It is not your place to tell me what is truth and what is otherwise. I know my duty, even if you do not."

He stands up, and marches out of the tent.

###

"So yeah, that's the problem." Robin sighs, flipping through his notes. "I don't know what to do about him. You know Frederick better than me Chrom, what do you think?"

"Frederick… has failed before." Chrom says slowly. He taps the wooden table nervously, the boy dislikes talking about others' personal details behind their backs. "Well, to say he _failed_ is a bit of an exaggeration. He looked away at just the wrong moment, and the bandit took that opportunity to strike at Lissa."

"Lissa got injured?" Robin asks, frowning. "No, she seems fine… captured then?"

"Neither." Chrom shakes his head. "Someone else took the hit for her. He lost his leg and hasn't been in battle since."

"Emmet." The tactician says. "Well, that answers that question. I've always wondered why he got that wooden leg…"

"Well now you know." The prince grimaces. "Emmet aside, Frederick became much more fanatic after that. He was always overly serious, but after that happened he became… _worse_."

"How long ago was this?" Robin pushes.

"A year before we found you." Chrom murmurs. "Two years ago."

"Hmm…" The white-haired frowns. He scratches at the stubble on his face, thinking. "Did those two ever have a confrontation?"

"That's a question for one of them." The prince says firmly. "I don't claim to know everything, and I shouldn't speak in their stead."

###

"I need to talk with you." Robin says, not bothering with pleasantries.

"Inventory is almost done." The man responds dryly, not even bothering to turn and look at the tactician.

" _Not_ about the inventory." The older man clarifies.

Emmet gives something that's halfway between a sigh and a growl. He turns and regards Robin with a distinctly unimpressed look. "What?"

"Did you and Frederick ever have an argument over the loss of your leg?" The tactician asks bluntly, realizing the quartermaster probably won't appreciate me beating around the bush.

"No." He responds curtly.

Robin is genuinely surprised. He would have thought they would have had at least a _minor_ altercation, especially with Emmet's generally negative attitude. "Did you talk it over at all?"

"A little."

"Emmet." Robin says seriously. "I need information here."

"Why?" He asks with narrowed eyes.

The tactician holds back a sigh. Emmet has every reason to not give away personal details, he doesn't know the situation, but at the same time Robin doesn't want to go around telling everyone that Frederick is being problematic. "There's a problem that I think you can help solve."

"And you can't just ask Frederick?" Emmet growls.

Robin purses his lips. The quartermaster is forcing his hand here. "He _is_ the problem."

The man raises an eyebrow, unconvinced. "Right…"

Naga above this man is frustrating. "Look-"

"You're the tactician." The man says dryly, cutting me off. His eyes are narrow and full of suspicion as he speaks, but nonetheless he says: "I'm _trusting_ that you have a good reason for prying into something that usually isn't your business. What do you need to know?"

"I need you to tell me about your interactions with Frederick after you lost your leg." I say. "An idea of what your relationship with him was beforehand would be useful too."

"Story time?" Emmet sighs. "Alright, fine. My tent is nearby. We can sit there."

It takes less than a minute to get to his tent from the supply wagons. He _is_ the quartermaster, it makes sense he'd be stationed nearby. Emmet moves with a stilted gait, but now that I'm paying attention it isn't nearly as bad as I thought. I know from his entry in the unit roster that his leg is gone just above the knee, but his fluid movement shows both that he has a proper prosthetic (not a pegleg) and that he's rather accustomed to it by this point.

Considering "this point" is two years after the loss, I'd be worried if he _wasn't_ accustomed yet.

"So…" The man grunts, dropping onto his matress. He's given me his stool, maybe because he assumes it will be easier on my old bones (and he'd be right, I'm in good shape for my age but I'm still _old_ no matter how you look at it). "In the interest of not giving you my life's story, I'll stick to the important parts."

"No, please feel free to tell me everything." Robin says honestly. "I've got information on almost everyone else, but I only have military records and a few anecdotes about you."

"And it's going to stay that way." Emmet says curtly. The tactician can't say he's surprised, the quartermaster is even less sociable than Lon'qu. "Anyways, Me and Frederick used to get along fine. I'm older than him, and an actual veteran, so he afforded me a level of respect that was probably undeserved."

"He looked up to you?"

The quartermaster purses his lips. "Maybe. I never asked him. He was my equal in combat though, I don't see why he _would_ look up to me."

Robin nods absently as he pulls out a notepad. He'll write this all down even if it doesn't end up being that relevant.

"Before you came along Frederick was our tactician. Unofficially of course." Emmet says with a dry smile. "He never really knew what to do with me. I didn't fit into the usual categories very well."

"Why?"

"I use magic weapons." He says, but doesn't elaborate on the subject. "Anyways, Frederick always rushed into battle. I think he wanted to kill everything before Chrom and Lissa even got there. He only let one or two foes pass by, intentionally I think, so that Chrom could stab at _someone_ and feel like he was contributing."

"I see…" Robin mutters. There's certainly similarities to Frederick's current behaviour, the desire to do everything before others can being the most obvious (and most problematic) trait in common. "That's your _guess_ right? You didn't actually talk with him about this?"

"Right." The man says. "So one day we went to hunt some bandits. Bigger band than usual, but nothing outrageous. We spotted the group, drew our weapons, and charged forwards. Frederick and Sully overtook us as usual, but everything seemed to be going fine."

"But...?"

The man sighs, grimacing. "They had another small group hiding in the woods. They saw us coming and set up a flanking ambush. Seven men against me, Chrom, Lissa, and Maribelle. The others were inexperienced, _something_ was bound to break if we didn't fight perfectly."

"And you didn't."

Emmet nods grimly. "Lissa stepped too far forwards to heal Chrom. Either I intercepted, or she took the hit." His face is dark as he growls out. "Turns out levin swords aren't all that tough. Not enough to stop a good axe swing."

Robin nods silently. He gives the man a moment to calm his frustration at the memory before quietly asking: "and Frederick's reaction?"

"I didn't see him for a few days. I never _blamed_ him, but from the fights I saw he fought very close to the group. He still tried to kill everything himself, but he did so from close by so he could keep an eye on everyone."

"I see." Robin mutters. Back then it was probably a _good_ thing that Frederick was so overbearing because everyone was inexperienced… but now the Shepherds are too big for that to work, and only a few of them are novices. He's using an old strategy because he can't see that things have changed. "Thank you Emmet. You've been very helpful."

The quartermaster smiles thinly. "If you say so."

The tactician walks out of the tent, pondering this new information. While Emmet apparently never spoke to Frederick about the incident, it's fairly obvious that the quartermaster's injury was the catalyst for Frederick to adopt his current plan. It's not too hard to guess that the knight must feel guilty to some extent, it would perfectly explain Robin's earlier conversation with the man and Frederick's oddly specific examples of what failure is.

Robin needs to have another talk with Frederick.

###

Frederick is giving him a flat stare, and Robin hasn't even said anything yet. The knight knows what's coming it seems.

"Frederick…"

"Robin."

"You know what I'm going to say, don't you?"

"I know my duty Robin. You won't change my mind."

"Things have changed Frederick. You need to change too." Robin says softly. "Your first duty may be to Chrom and Lissa, but if you intend to act as a Shepherd you _must_ follow orders."

Frederick's expression darkens. "You are pulling rank on me?"

"If I need to." The tactician admits. "But I hope to _convince_ you, not force you."

"You may try." The knight says. "But I will not be swayed."

"Logic won't change your mind?" Robin offers. "You know the Shepherds are too big to protect all on your own anymore. You can't feasibly watch _all_ of them while being on the front lines yourself."

"I can and I will." Frederick says stubbornly.

"You'll only wear yourself Frederick." The tactician says patiently. "The others aren't weak, they can fend for themselves now. You don't have to be _everyone's_ shield."

"I know all of that, but I need to do it anyways." The knight insists. "I have a _duty_ , and if I let myself fall short of it for any reason, least of all being physically or mentally incapable, then I have failed as both a retainer and a knight."

"Yeah… that's not how it works." Robin scoffs. "Frederick, how old do you think I am?"

"I don't see how-"

"Just answer the question."

"... sixty."

"Seventy two, but close enough." The man snorts. "Old men like me all look the same after a certain point. The point is that I've met a _lot_ of people, directed a _lot_ of soldiers, and I can tell you right now what you're trying to do is only going to make things _worse_ overall. Worse for yourself, worse for the others, worse for _Chrom_."

That strikes a chord with the knight, and he grimaces in response to the tactician's words. "Milord has made no comment expressing his displeasure at my performance."

"Of course he hasn't." Robin scoffs. "How could he complain about someone trying to protect him? That's what _I'm_ for, I look at things objectively… well, as much as possible."

"I cannot just leave my fellow soldiers to the whims of fate." Frederick says quietly. "I _must_ be there to help."

The tactician's expression softens just a bit. "You're not Frederick. You've watched over them long enough that they can hold their own. Trust me, if it was possible for you to be everyone's shield I would gladly let you. We're too many in number now though."

The knight's shoulders sag. "I do not want to fail again Robin. I know the price of not watching over others as I should."

"But you _will_ be doing it as you should. You will still be watching others Frederick, there are still new recruits in this army that could use a protector as they learn." The tactician offers. "And your status as heavy cavalry is invaluable. We need you Frederick, it's just not what you've been doing in the past."

Frederick looks on the verge of giving in, so Robin draws from his conversation with Emmet for the final strike.

"Emmet doesn't blame you, did you know that?" Robin says quietly. "I'd guess you've never really _dealt_ with your guilt, have you?"

The man flinches as if struck. "I-I..."

"I wish I was young enough to be stubborn like you." The tactician chuckles, and pats the sputtering knight on the shoulder. "You understand though? You need to move on, both from your old role and from this guilt… and you'll find it isn't nearly as drastic as it sounds."

* * *

 **We'll end here.**

 **I was worried about making Emmet a somewhat important character. OCs are hit-or-miss after all. Actually, he was supposed to be** _ **the**_ **main second character of this chapter (due to being the only war veteran in the Shepherds besides Robin) but I decided on Frederick at the last minute because I had a decent storyline idea for him.**

* * *

 **Mr. Martin** **:** I'll put it on the list.

 **Mram99** **:** Well there are plenty more to go, so no worries.

 **Darkness is complete** **:** Sure, that's not a bad idea. I can think of a thing or two for that…

 **SilentAltair** **:** I have, and I'll tell you right now it's unlikely because Yandere are both difficult to write and very one-dimensional.

 **Guest** **:** Yes, of course, how could I have forgotten _Potato_ Robin? The _best_ Robin.

 **Guest** **:** Sure? That's a tough one though.

 **SolidShinji104** **:** Yep, that's part of the tragedy of the chapter. It was a fine line or trying to make her sympathetic but still manipulative and eerie.

 **ThirtyK94** **:** I think if this chapter has proven anything it's that age really doesn't change much for a character… at least not when _I_ write them.

 **Invisible Prince :** I've noted _most_ of them down (not taking kirby powers, pear, nudist, gluttonous, and shovel knight). No guarantees I'll stick to the gender you've assigned the ideas though.


	36. Robin, Goddess of Strategy

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **Minor: Dark Flier, Immortal, Boxer (Pugilist), Exploitive, Swordmaster, Angry Cinnamon Roll, Tripping, Perpetual Cheer, Chef, Blacksmith, Pegasus Knight, Teacher, Librarian, Masochist, Literal-Minded, Authoritative, Middle Age, Wyvern Rider.**

 **Standard: Elemental, Deaf, Foreign, Future sight, Tiny, Nurse/Medic, Valmese Tactician, Medusa, Racer, Amazon, Genderfluid, Gift from Validar + evil to good, Mind Control, Banshee, Bard, Dancer, Mimic, Emotionless, Khan, Crippling Overspecialization (Idiot Savant), Coward, ESP, PTSD, POW, Magician, Mute, Savage, Handicapped, Secret Helper, Crazy, Respawn, MPD, Morpher, Dreamwalker, Motherly, Lich, Twins, Regenerating, Sadist, Animal Whisperer (horse/wyvern), Naga/Tiki Assistant, Sleepless, Plant, Fairy, Deadly Touch.**

 **Unlikely: Chrom's child, Minotaur, Paladin, Werewolf, Assassin, Future Soldier, Bounty Hunter, Weather control, Kleptomaniac, Druid, Steampunk, Shadow Familiar, Magic Augmentation, Lucky, Exile, Piper (Charmer), Gladiator, Witch Doctor, Centaur, Drunk, Demon, Punk, Harpy, Revenant, Luck Manipulation, Demon Summoner, Megalomaniac, Kitsune, King of Plegia, Mood Ring, Reverse Aging, Hammerspace, Prostitute, Demon Hunter, Cyborg, Maid/Servant/Butler, Deadlord, Rebellion, Einherjar, Trap, Yandere, Living Weapon, Size Shifter, Queen of Plegia, Gluttonous, Stretchy, Ninja, Alchemist, Protoss, Spirit Manipulation, Invisible, Plegian Honor Guard.**

 **Other: Pokemon Trainer, Self-insert, Second Generation replacement, Dimensional Walker, Cycle, Fates.**

 **Goddess Robin, this is my second time trying to get this to work. Requested by Darklight of the 0 Arcana, Darkness is complete, and Zero kami no mu. This turned out** _ **much**_ **differently than I expected; out of all my ideas** _ **this**_ **was the one that worked.**

* * *

Ricken is terrified.

He's down on one knee in front of an altar in the royal cathedral. The mage isn't particularly religious, he prefers to focus on his own strength rather than praying for divine favor, but the _one_ time he comes to pray _this_ happens.

She's clearly not Naga. The divine dragon doesn't dress in a tactician's longcoat, nor does Naga have a massive head of silver hair that reaches her ankles. Naga also doesn't have light brown skin or silver orbs for eyes.

This girl lacks the pointed ears usual to dragon deities, but Ricken has no doubt this girl is divine. She appeared in a flash or black energy, and her mana pool is so large Ricken can feel the magic rolling off her _without_ activating his arcane sight.

Despite her adult body, she's incredibly childish. She's lying on her back on the altar, gazing at the little mage with innocent eyes. She rolls over onto her stomach and extends an arm, her fingertips brushing Ricken's oversized hat.

"Gish." She chirps. "Gaah."

"Uh…" Ricken panics. "H-H-Hi?!"

"Ooah?" The girl mimics. "H-H-Hoooi?"

" _Oh Naga, what am I supposed to do?!_ " He thinks. "Wh-Who are you!?"

"Ooh ah oooh?"

" _This isn't working…_ " The mage takes a few steps back. "I-I'm going to get someone, you just stay here."

"Wah! Gah!" The girl exclaims, grabbing at him. Her face contorts into a pleading look.

Ricken is unnerved. He has an adult-looking child goddess _person_ asking… for him to stay? The way she's grabbing at him looks like she's asking to be picked up. Can he apply normal child behaviour to a _goddess_? Should he even try? She's not a beanpole, Ricken doubts he can support her weight.

"Maybe she's lighter than she looks?" Ricken asks himself, tentatively stepping towards her. "I can at least try. It's probably a good idea to _not_ leave the infant goddess on her own where she might panic and burn down the cathedral, or turn everyone in the the country into rabbits, or _whatever_ a panicking goddess does.

So Ricken tries. He carefully slips his arms under the girl's neck and legs and attempts to lift her. She's too heavy on her own, but she wraps her arms around his neck and wraps her legs around his waist to put less weight on his arms.

She's still heavy, the goddess has an adult body after all, but Ricken manages to carry her out of the building.

###

"Robin." The goddess chirps.

The little mage blinks in surprise. He honestly hadn't been expecting her to have an answer when he asked what her name was (for the twentieth time). Apparently she _does_ have a name… despite the fact that she couldn't _speak_ less than a week ago and no one ever _gave_ her a name.

"Uh.. hi Robin." Ricken says tentatively. He still doesn't know how he should treat her. She's a _goddess_. Granted, a goddess that spends half her playing with Ricken's hat and making unintelligible (but adorable) gurgling noises, but _still_ , she's higher rank than royalty. "I mean… your Highness?"

"No!" The goddess pouts instantly. "No, no, no, no, _no_!"

"Uh, okay!?" The mage squeaks. "Sorry?"

"Nooo!" Robin pouts again. "No sorry!"

"Okay, okay…" The mage thinks of another important question to ask now that he knows Robin has knowledge outside of what she's seen with them. "Who are your parents?"

"Momma and Dadda!"

"Yes, but _who_ are they? What are their names?" Ricken pushes.

"Grima!"

Well that's ominous. "And…?"

"Joustep!"

The mage blinks. "Joustep?"

"Joustep."

Ricken has no idea who that is.

###

"Woooah." Robin gasps as Ricken tears apart the straw target with his magic. "Whoosh!"

"Yeah, cool isn't it?" Ricken brags, feeling proud. "I've been improving a lot lately. Soon I'll move on to Elwind!"

"I try, I try!" The goddess chirps. She fumbles to her feet, tottering like a young child over to his side. Sparks of electricity dance across her fingertips. "I try?"

"Sure." Ricken says without thinking.

Robin takes aim at a new target. Unlike Ricken, she doesn't need to charge her magic. The flash is blinding, and the lighting devastates more than just the target. It pierces right through the straw dummy, shattering it, and burns through several trees behind it.

" _Oh gods that's strong_." Ricken thinks, thoroughly intimidated. In hindsight he should have expected this, she's a _goddess_ , but the fact still remains that she just destroyed half a dozen trees without any apparent effort.

"I did good?" The girl asks, looking down at him eagerly.

"Y-Yeah…" Ricken stammers. "Really good."

The mage is distracted by a faint crackling noise, and the boy's eyes widen in alarm.

"Forest fire." He breaths, catching sight of the burning trees. He turns around and runs. "Captain! Fire!"

###

Ricken and Robin sit pitifully on the ground, heads low as Chrom glares at them.

"Ricken, you should have known better than to let her Majesty use magic." The captain scolds. "You should have known how strong she could be. She's not a goddess for nothing."

The mage cringes at his own stupidity. "Sorry Captain."

"And Highness, you need to be more considerate of your power." Chrom sighs. "What if someone had been in the forest? You could have hurt them. I'm surprised you didn't hurt _Ricken_ with your lack of control."

The goddess wilts. "Sorry."

"You two will do extra chores for the next week to make up for the damages." The prince says sternly. "And your Highness, _no magic_."

The girl pouts. "Aww..."

###

Robin isn't exactly a child anymore. Her speed of mental growth is extreme, she's gone from a helpless infant to a young adult in a mere three months, and she's starting to figure out what her specialties are.

"So combat is an obvious one." Robin says, jotting it down on the list.

"But is it _every_ aspect of combat?" Ricken suggests. "Or just magic? We know you can blow things up with lightning, but can you use swords? Axes?"

"Good point." The goddess nods. "We'll put that in a second column… we know I'm no good at diplomacy. I couldn't talk us out of those chores."

"I'm not sure that's diplomacy so much as deception."

"Fair point." Robin acknowledges. "I can't cook either."

"You're good with directions." Ricken offers. "You never seem to get lost, even after only seeing things once."

The goddess notes that down. "Good one. Let's see… actually, I just have a good memory in general, don't I?"

"Yeah, I guess you do." The little mage nods.

"Me-mo-ry…" She mutters. She slashes out 'good with directions' and writes 'memory'. "Okay what else?"

"Uh… I'm running out of ideas already." Ricken admits. He's mentally running through a list of compliments he could make and drawing ideas from that. "The problem is you've only had three months here, so you haven't had much of a chance to figure out what you're good at."

"Especially since I spent the first few weeks with the mind of an infant." Robin sighs. "I'm sure I'll figure it out soon enough. Memory and combat huh…? Those feel auxiliary, like I'm missing my main skill."

"We'll figure it out eventually." The little mage reassures. "Maybe we should go around doing as many things as possible! That should help right?"

Robin's eyes light up. "Good idea! Ooh, where should we start?"

"How about sports?" Ricken says, suggesting the first thing that comes to mind. "I'm sure we can recruit Vaike and Sully into playing _something_. Just be careful, if your physical strength is anywhere near your magical strength... I'd rather not lose my head to a stray ball."

###

"What?!" Ricken shouts indignantly. "Why?! Why can Robin go and _I_ can't?!"

"You're not old enough." Chrom says bluntly. "And her Majesty is smart enough now. Plus, she's a literal goddess of strategy."

"Are you calling me stupid?!"

"No, I'm saying her Highness is smart. Are you trying to tell me she isn't?" The captain sighs.

"Well of course she is." The mage mutters. "She's a genius, a _goddess_. She's younger than me though!"

"But she's more mature squirt." Sully chuckles. She pats the mage on the head as she passes by. "Her Holiness ain't your play buddy anymore."

Chrom glares at the cavalier disapprovingly before turning back to Ricken. "Look, just a few more years and can fight with us too."

"A few _years_?" He whines.

"Yes Ricken." The prince says firmly. "Hold the fort until we get back."

Ricken waits until Chrom walks out of earshot before he mutters. "Hold the fort? It's not like we're going to get attacked, and it's not like I could do much on my own anyways."

The mage kicks around the courtyard, watching everyone pack their horses and prepare for the journey to Ferox. He watches the two cavaliers checking both their warhorses and packhorses, and sees Sumia stumbling over a pebble.

"Seriously, _she_ can go but I can't?" Ricken grumbles.

He glances at Frederick helping Lissa properly tie everything to her mount, and then turns to watch the captain. Robin is next to him, and the two chat amicably, and Ricken's mood _immediately_ takes a nosedive. He spins around and storms off angrily.

"Sully's wrong." He mutters to himself. "Robin's still my friend. I'm just as mature as she is…"

Ricken hears the goddess laugh loudly at something the prince said, and he picks up his pace. The scowl on his face is from not being able to come along, and certainly _not_ from annoyance and fear of losing his friend.

No, not at all.

###

Robin doesn't actually _fight_. It would be a dead giveaway as to her presence. She doesn't remember _why_ she's hiding, but she is. Luckily her main skill is tactics with combat as an auxiliary skill, so she can still contribute a lot even without using a single bit of her magic.

She chose to come on this journey to Ferox, and while she doesn't _regret_ it this trip certainly brought some things to light. Nothing to do with battle actually; it has to do with her fellow Shepherds.

 _Everyone_ bows to her and calls her "your Highness" or "your Majesty". Chrom does, Lissa does, even _Sully_ does. Robin doesn't mind terribly much anymore, it's not like a few months ago when she would have pouted and whined about someone calling her by a title.

She's a goddess, people are going to worship her and all that stuff, it's best she get used to it now… but she really does miss just being called 'Robin', and she's having a hard time finding something to do in her free time. Usually she'd hang around Ricken and they'd play chess, or she'd help him with his studies, or they'd practice magic together (Chrom lifted their ban on practicing together once Robin matured a bit).

Ricken isn't here though. Chrom said something about him being too young (which is bullshit, Robin is barely half a year old and that's _including_ her time with Mom, but she was allowed to come along). To be honest, Robin is sorta _happy_ that Ricken isn't here. Not that she doesn't enjoy his presence, but she's glad he's out out of danger. The goddess knows he isn't combat ready like herself.

" _Ricken would hate that_." She thinks, smiling fondly.

Due to her nature as a divine being, Robin doesn't have to sleep. She can do it anyways if she feels like it, but there's no biological need. The same goes for eating and drinking actually, but there's no way she's passing up good food. Anyways, that means she has a lot of free time over the night. She's read a lot of books to pass the time, and messed around with some of her more minor powers (changing her appearance, minor illusions, creating objects pertaining to her domain like swords and tomes, scrying).

Tonight she's trying something different, and it involves Ricken. Robin knows Mom occasionally gives visions or dreams to her followers, and Robin wants to try. Since she doesn't have any followers Ricken should make a good substitute.

Robin has no idea what she's doing though, so she has to be careful. She doesn't want to accidentally destroy Ricken's brain or something.

Is that a thing she can do? She hopes not. Accidentally murdering her best friend doesn't sound fun.

In the dead of night, when she presumes Ricken is asleep, Robin casts a spell. She's taking a _guess_ as to how it works, and dumping an enormous amount of magic into the spell to ensure it doesn't fail. She's locking onto his magical presence, which probably won't work for anyone who _isn't_ a magic user of some sort.

She'll figure out a better locating system some other time. She just wants to see if this spell works.

Finding Ricken's magic signature isn't hard. He's a torch of magic power among a field of tiny sparks. Robin picks him out and channels for only a second.

Success. She can feel the connection. It's a strange feeling to have her mind linked to the boy, he feels so _fragile_ compared to her godly powers. She's nervous to do anything to him, so she just watches his dreams. It's a confusing mess of nonsensical conversations and sequences, but Robin is surprised to see herself appear several times.

Eventually she musters up the courage to make herself known. Robin uses a bit of magic to block his dreams for a second, and then quickly fabricates her own image so she can communicate with him. She makes a simple stone room, just like the ones at the Shepherds' barracks, with the two of them sitting across from each other on comfy chairs.

"Hello Ricken."

"Hi Robin." The mage responds, sounding dazed. Sleep seems to be doing weird things to his brain. Maybe it's a quirk of being human?

"I'm actually messaging you from Ferox." She says. "Just to check in on you."

"Really…?" Ricken doesn't seem phased. "Oh, this is a dream…"

"Well yes, but I _actually_ talking to you. This is a spell." She clarifies. "I'm sitting in my tent right now."

"Oh, _oh_." The boy says, blinking rapidly. "Wow, that's cool."

"Isn't it?" Robin chuckles. "Usually this spell is reserved for contacting worshippers, but I don't exactly have any so I'm testing it on you."

"I'm flattered… I think." He mutters, and then frowns. "Wait, I'm basically a lab rat!"

"Yeah." Robin teases. "A little rat in a hat."

"I'm not little!"

"Yes you are." Robin insists.

"Am _not_!"

"I can get Miriel to _prove_ you're small if you want." Robin teases. "I'm sure she can find the average height for a boy your age."

"No, don't get her to do that!" The mage says hastily.

The goddess smiles in amusement. "Because you know I'm right."

"Sh-Shut up…"

###

" _Got it?_ " Robin's voice whispers in his head. The telepathy is new, she developed it as a deviation from her dream-connection spell. " _You see them?_ "

" _Yeah, I see them_." He nods. Aversa and Maribelle are only a dozen or so meters away, and it's only thanks to the bush that Ricken hasn't been spotted yet. " _I'm ready._ "

" _Just wait for my signal._ " Robin murmurs.

The little mage waits tensely, nervously. He listens as the talks go downhill and sees Chrom stab the soldier. Ricken is sorely tempted to strike right then and help the ensuing fight, but he remembers Robin's words and reluctantly waits. She's called a goddess of strategy for a reason.

" _Go now!_ "

Ricken leaps from the bush, casting his Elwind as he runs. The blades of green wind slice through the air and knock the the Aversa off her feet. Maribelle is quick on the uptake and makes a bolt for the treeline. Her tied hands are an issue for her balance, as are her high heeled riding boots; the girl trips almost as much as Sumia does. Ricken desperately flings spells at their pursuers and squeaks in fear when Aversa sends a blast of Waste over his head.

"Maribelle!" Sumia shouts, swooping down on her pegasus. She lands in front of them. "Get on!"

"Wh-What about me?!" Ricken panics as he helps Maribelle up on the mount.

"I can only carry one person at a time." Sumia says. She shouts "ya!" and her pegasus takes to the air again. "I'll be back in a second!"

She flies down the cliffside, leaving the mage alone against Aversa and a small squad of wyvern riders now flying escort around her.

"Oh shit." Ricken mumbles, backing away to the edge of the cliff. He grips his tome tightly and prepares another spell. Who does he aim for? If he attacks Aversa the wyverns get him, if he attacks the wyverns then Aversa gets him.

"So you saved the girl, good for you." Aversa says dryly. The sultry demeanor she was using before is totally gone, and she's glaring wholeheartedly at the little mage. "Was it worth it, brat? To save the bitch in exchange for your own life?"

She summons another Waste spell and holds it high over her head. Ricken hastily aims his own spell at her. "I-I did what any man is supposed to do! I fought to save my teammate!"

"Oh how _noble_." The lady sneers. "Well, I hope you're satisfied in your last moments foolish boy."

Ricken really isn't. He expected to survive this, not be a sacrifice to save Maribelle! He desperately flings his spell at the lady who sidesteps the attack with ease. She sneers cruelly and shoots the black ball of magic straight at his chest.

The spell never makes contact. A bolt of lighting sears over Ricken's head and makes contact with the Waste spell. The bolt effortlessly destroys the other spell and smashes into Aversa's stomach which sends the dark flier sprawling onto the dirt with lightning burns on her skin.

" _Exactly as planned_." Robin's voice whispers in the mage's head. " _Now, jump off the cliff. Sumia is busy elsewhere._ "

Ricken is positive she's joking. Sumia is busy so Robin wants him to _kill himself_ by jumping off a cliff!? "B-B-But-"

" _Trust me._ "

She's not joking. " _I'll_ _die_ _!_ "

" _Trust. Me._ "

Ricken doesn't have time to think about his choice. Aversa is getting back to her feet, and the wyvern riders are closing the distance. The little mage whispers a quick prayer, takes a deep breath, and leaps off the cliff.

He falls a couple dozen feet, holding in a scream the entire time. He clutches his tome against his chest and his hat flies off his head, snatched by the wind.

An entirely different gust of wind bursts up from below him. His cloak catches the wind and billows out, and the sheer force of the wind slows his fall. The gale cuts out only a few meters from the ground and the little mage drops safely into the arms of the goddess waiting below.

"Trust me." She repeats with a smirk as she meets Ricken's dumbfounded expression. "Come on, I'm a master of strategy. Have a _little_ faith."

"I-I, w-well..." He stammers. "I wasn't expecting _that_!"

"I can use more than just lightning magic." Robin scoffs. "I learned the others from Miriel back at Ferox."

"Oh." Ricken tries to hide the disappointment in his voice. He wanted to be the one to teach Robin wind magic. "Cool. Does that include dark magic?"

"Yep." The girl nods as she strolls to the Shepherds' backline while totally ignoring the battle happening around them, and the little mage is fairly sure that's the _opposite_ of what she's supposed to do. "Healing magic is a bit of a hassle though. You think me being a goddess would mean I'm good at it because healing is based on divine magic an all, but no."

"H-Hey, aren't we supposed to be fighting? Aren't you supposed to be giving orders and stuff?" Ricken interrupts.

"I am." She says calmly. "You aren't the only one I can talk to with my mind, and as a goddess my multi-tasking is incredible."

"How incredible?"

"I'm currently in conversation with each Shepherd individually as well as Emmeryn and Phila." Robin hums.

"Oh wow."

"So yes, I _am_ supposed to be giving orders, which I _am_ doing."

The two of them get to the backline no problem. Maribelle is already there, having been dropped off by Sumia. Lissa, Miriel, and Virion are also here healing, casting, and shooting respectively.

"Enjoying yourself Ricken?" Lissa calls, smiling cheekily. The little mage doesn't get what she's talking about for a second, but then realizes that Robin is still carrying him around bridal style from when she caught him after his jump.

The boy scrambles out of the girl's grasp, flustered. The goddess is calm as usual, and only waggles her finger to control the wind and bring Ricken's hat flying over to land on his head. Robin adjusts the hat, disregarding Ricken's obvious embarrassment.

###

"Checkmate."

Ricken pouts as Robin wins yet another round. "Now you're just showing off. Only seven turns?"

"Not my fault you suck." She snorts, but is smiling when she says it. "I'm-"

"-the goddess of strategy, I know." Ricken snorts. "Everyone keeps reminding me, along with scolding me for not calling you 'your Highness' or whatever."

"Please don't." Robin sighs. "I'm already sick of Chrom and all the other Shepherds constantly bowing down to me."

"Even Sully?"

"Even Sully."

"I would like to see that." Ricken says cheekily. Robin rolls her eyes.

"Petty."

"She keeps making fun of my height! I'd be funny to see _her_ bowing down." The mage insists.

"What's wrong with being short?" The goddess asks. "It's cute."

"I don't _want_ to be cute!"

Well too late for that. "Of course, my bad."

They play another game in relative silence. Robin's incredible skill shows through again as she demolishes him again in eight turns. Against most people Robin holds back a bit, usually putting some restriction on herself to make the game more challenging. She knows Ricken would _hate_ that though, he wants to be seen as an equal by everyone. That's why she continues to go all out despite knowing it makes the game impossibly one-sided.

She just wishes he'd let her teach him instead of insisting that he can learn on his own.

###

Ricken doesn't know what to think. Robin isn't the person he remembers… and yet she is. She's still the friend he remembers practicing magic with and the person he played soccer with not half a year ago.

Except she's _good_ now, far better than him. She can effortlessly blow away massive sections of forest but also has enough control for pinpoint shots if she feels like it. Robin's tactical mind makes anything but luck games an effort in futility, and even when doing something like arm wrestling that's purely physical the goddess far outstrips even the strongest of Shepherds.

Ricken can't compare to her in any meaningful way, and he isn't stupid enough to think his conversation is particularly entertaining. He honestly wonders why Robin hangs around him when she's not working. As much as he hates to admit it he's _childish_ compared to her now. It's weird to think half a year ago he was the mature one and she was the child.

Robin also isn't the eager bubbly person she was before. She's calm and collected now, with no trace of that enthusiasm she had as a child.

"Ricken, it's your move."

The mage startles for a moment. He was lost in thought so much that he forget they were playing something. It's a game Robin bought while out in Ferox called War of Worlds and it's _super_ complex. Ricken frantically glances across the board, noting how Robin has moved her fliers even further up the mountain and is splitting her heavy infantry from it's cavalry escort. All of her troops are rather spread out.

That probably means _something_ , but Ricken doesn't know anything about battle tactics. He wishes he did, but admitting he doesn't know what to think is just going to make him look even _more_ childish.

" _Maybe I can fake it._ " Ricken thinks. " _Just keep doing what I was doing, it's all part of a plan_."

The little mage moves his archers up close to the mountains, he can't hit the fliers but he's hoping to catch them when they leave. He pushes the rest of his troops forwards in a rush to try and take out Robin's exposed mages.

With a perfectly calm look, the girl says "you have no idea what you're doing, do you?" as he ends his turn.

"I do!" Ricken insists, lying through his teeth.

"Really? What's your plan?"

"I'm not telling you! You're the enemy!"

"Ricken." The girl says softly. "I'm not mocking you. I'm offering to help."

The mage grimaces. "I don't _want_ help. I'll figure it out on my own."

"But you won't." Robin says curtly. "We both know you won't, so don't tell me you will."

Ricken feels abashed. He lowers his reddening head to hide behind his wide-brimmed hat and clenches his fists. "Y-You don't know that."

"But I do. I _know_ you Ricken, I've been keeping a watch on you since I learned to scry. I know you're too stubborn to admit when you can't do something." The goddess says. At that moment, Ricken hates her calm and collected look, he hates how she can sit there with arms and legs crossed and tell him that she can read him like a book.

He's like a child to her: petty, difficult, but _simple_.

The mage stands abruptly from the table, growls out something about having other plans, and storms out of the building.

He hates how Robin doesn't even react, she doesn't even try to stop him. She probably expected this because he's _just so easy_.

###

Robin hates to admit she didn't have a plan going into that talk, and in hindsight the way Ricken reacted was absolutely to be expected. She challenged his fragile confidence, of _course_ he was going to be upset. He's been trying to prove himself to the Shepherds for a long time and she more or less told him that she though he was incompetent. Granted it was at tactics, something _most_ of the Shepherds suck at, but it makes sense he wouldn't be happy to hear that from a friend.

At least she hopes she's still a friend. There's been a disconnect between the two of them for the last little bit which Robin is fairly sure is due to his inferiority complex. The tacticina is worried that her status is a goddess is causing friction by making her seem too far above him.

She already has problems with the other Shepherds because they think she's so much better than them. They treat her with either reverence or a low-key hostility as some of them resent having their hard work and training look like nothing compared to her inborn skill and knowledge. Robin doesn't want the same reaction from Ricken; she wants _him_ , her first and only friend, to not dislike her because of factors she can't control.

Sometimes Robin wishes she was human. She wishes she was weak and stupid again. She wishes she could still train alongside Ricken with each of them having their own areas to improve. They'd excel in different places, neither necessarily better than the other. Instead she's a _goddess_ , and that fact has overshadowed every relationship she's had since the day she was sent here.

But she can't let that show. Saying such a thing would sound petty. She should be thankful for her position, she has power, could easily have money, and followers would flock to her if she just flexed her abilities a little.

Her life would feel awfully hollow without a friend though. No amount of power or money could fix that. That's why she's determined to get this right and not lose Ricken.

The question is how. How does she convince him that she's not mocking or patronizing him? How does she explain that she still values his company even if he can do nothing that will impress her? How does she explain that she wants to help him improve, and not out of pity or patronization but genuine enjoyment of helping a friend?

Maybe she can't convince him right now. There's nothing she can do but wait for the right moment, a moment when he's willing to hear her all the way through. Patience, the best plans rely on patience…

###

Ricken knows he's being petty. He's been avoiding Robin. He overreacted and he knows it. He could have been rational, he _knows_ he's not good at strategy just like Robin said. She was blunt, yes, but he would have continued to deny everything otherwise.

He really is a child. He's running and hiding from his own friend for something absolutely not her fault. Ricken just doesn't want to admit that he's never going to equal to Robin again.

Does that mean they can't be friends though? He'll never be able to help her in a meaningful way because Robin just knows better than him.

"Ricken."

Oh gods, he stopped paying attention for only a few minutes and she found him. He's not ready for this conversation. The boy nervously spins around to face the tactician, who still looks and sounds totally calm. "Y-Yes Robin?"

"Can we talk?"

No no no no no no no no. "Yes, okay."

"You sound nervous."

Play it off or be honest? Last time he tried to play off his incompetence and it ended in disaster. As much as he hates showing weakness (it makes him look childish) he'll do it here because he doesn't want to make the situation worse. "I am."

"I'm not mad at you Ricken."

How did she guess he was worried about that?! "I-I w-well-"

"Can you promise to hear me all the way out?" She asks suddenly. The goddess stares right into his eyes with her own piercing silver orbs. "Before you make a judgement?"

"Okay." He breathes, immediately worried. She seems particularly serious, that can't be good.

The tactician takes a breath, arranging her thoughts, and then says slowly. "Ricken, we're friends right?"

"Yes."

"Do you know I only want the best for you? As a friend I want to see you succeed and improve." Ricken squirms in embarrassment, but when he doesn't say anything Robin takes that as a cue to continue. "I didn't mean to patronize you during that game. I figured you might like to learn, a one-sided game is no fun after all."

"But I'm never going to get close to your level." Ricken mumbles. "Not through my whole life."

"So? I'll never be as stoic as Lon'qu, but that doesn't stop _me_ from trying." Robin jokes lightly. "It doesn't mean the effort is wasted. Even if you can't beat me, that doesn't mean you won't be able to give me a run for my money at some point, especially if I teach you everything I know."

"But what can I offer in return?" Ricken insists. "I don't want to be your _student_! I don't want to be seen as a child to be taught!"

"Who said anything about you being a kid?" Robin asks with a tilt of her head. "Ricken, you're my _friend_ , you don't need to give anything in return. You're not going to school."

"Y-Yeah, but…" Ricken can't quite find a way to voice his thoughts. "I guess what I'm asking is _why_ you're my friend. I can't do anything impressive."

Robin raises an eyebrow. "You're good company. Does there have to be another reason?"

"Well... yes, yes there does." Ricken nods. "Why go through all this effort if I'm just 'good company'? We're not _equal_ , how can we be friends?"

"But we _are_ equal. I don't particularly care for my status as 'goddess'." Robin insists. "And so what if I'm better at most things? As long as you enjoy being around me and I enjoy being around you the difference in our capabilities isn't all that relevant."

Ricken never really thought of it that way. So long as they help each other out and enjoy the other's company, what's the problem? Was he really so caught up in this whole power imbalance that he forgot what the point of a friendship was? "I… uh… yeah. I can't argue with that."

"Good." Robin nods. "Because I've had no one to play with the last few days and I'm bored out of my mind." She smiles at him, and he returns it sheepishly. "I miss my game buddy."

"And here I thought you were getting too mature for me." Ricken mumbles.

"The day I'm too 'mature' to play games with a friend is the day I know I'm a boring old lady like Mom." Robin snorts. "Now how about we resume that game we started a few days ago? If you're gonna get better at it, I have a few things to say already."

"Oh boy." Ricken says with a roll of his eyes.

"What? You want me to go easy on you?" She scoffs.

That question puts so much into context for Ricken. Robin was trying to respect him by not holding back, because she knew he'd hate that… which was why he never improved, because he was getting stomped every game before he could even figure out what was going on. This really was all just due to his stupid pride. "Not really."

"Then you better start learning so you can challenge me." She says with a calm smile. "Unless you're too 'mature' to pick up new tricks."

Ricken snorts. The serious air is completely broken. "No way! I'll improve so fast you'll have to study overnight just to stay ahead of me!"

* * *

 **This is longer than I expected, over 5500 words.**

* * *

 **Truemmerphantom** **:** I'll admit the deadly touch is an idea that I already had. The spirit manipulation thing is interesting, though I have no idea how that would be implemented. I'm going to put those down as two seperate ideas.

 **Guest (X2)** **:** This is The _Robin_ Variable, not The _Anyone_ Variable. I'm keeping a theme here. Besides, that's what Varied Awakenings is for.

Wyvern Rider will be put under minor.

 **Darkness is complete** **:** Curious and difficult idea. Not sure how I'd use that, but sure. On the list it goes.

 **SirHaloFan** **:** Jedai and Jaeger are _way_ too inconsistent with the theme of Fire Emblem for this collection. Plegian Honor Guard is a nice one though.

 **Tom :** No. Just… no.


	37. Sadistic Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **Minor: Dark Flier, Immortal, Boxer (Pugilist), Exploitive, Swordmaster, Angry Cinnamon Roll, Tripping, Perpetual Cheer, Chef, Blacksmith, Pegasus Knight, Teacher, Librarian, Masochist, Literal-Minded, Authoritative, Middle Age, Wyvern Rider.**

 **Standard: Elemental, Deaf, Foreign, Future sight, Tiny, Nurse/Medic, Valmese Tactician, Medusa, Racer, Amazon, Genderfluid, Gift from Validar + evil to good, Mind Control, Banshee, Bard, Dancer, Mimic, Emotionless, Khan, Crippling Overspecialization (Idiot Savant), Coward, ESP, POW, PTSD, Magician, Mute, Savage, Handicapped, Secret Helper, Crazy, Respawn, MPD, Morpher, Dreamwalker, Motherly, Lich, Twins, Regenerating, Animal Whisperer (horse/wyvern), Naga/Tiki Assistant, Sleepless, Plant, Fairy, Deadly Touch, Mind Reader, Doppelganger, Arachne.**

 **Unlikely: Chrom's child, Minotaur, Paladin, Werewolf, Assassin, Future Soldier, Bounty Hunter, Weather control, Kleptomaniac, Druid, Steampunk, Shadow Familiar, Magic Augmentation, Lucky, Exile, Piper (Charmer), Gladiator, Witch Doctor, Centaur, Drunk, Demon, Punk, Harpy, Revenant, Luck Manipulation, Demon Summoner, Megalomaniac, Kitsune, King of Plegia, Mood Ring, Reverse Aging, Hammerspace, Prostitute, Demon Hunter, Cyborg, Maid/Servant/Butler, Deadlord, Rebellion, Einherjar, Trap, Yandere, Living Weapon, Size Shifter, Queen of Plegia, Gluttonous, Stretchy, Ninja, Alchemist, Protoss, Spirit Manipulation, Invisible, Plegian Honor Guard, Mecha, Kryptonian, Creator, Orc.**

 **Other: Pokemon Trainer, Self-insert, Second Generation replacement, Dimensional Walker, Cycle, Fates.**

 **Sadistic Robin… sorta? Requested by Guest and Darkness is complete. He might not be as sadistic as I originally planned, I'm bad at writing characters with 'evil' traits. Also taking some artistic license with the flail. A flail of this sort (a ball and chain) can't use a long chain or it's hard to swing, but I'm ignoring that here because it's cool.**

* * *

Maribelle wakes to water being splashed in her face again. She's startled for only a moment before she remembers where she is and the noble molds her face into a defiant (if exhausted) scowl.

"Rise and shine Miss Themisia." A familiar male voice chuckles darkly. Through the faint shaft of torchlight shining through the open door she can see one of her captors leaning in to her otherwise unlit cell with a bucket in hand. "It's morning."

"Oh joy." She says dryly, and sits up on her cot. "Have you come to fetch me for more 'activities'?"

"Nope." He says. Maribelle can't see his face, but she knows the man is grinning. "I just thought you'd appreciate being woken bright and early to get ready for the day, I know how you women love your preparations. I'll see you again in, oh, four hours?"

He closes the door and shuts the lock, sealing her in pitch darkness again. Maribelle scoffs and drops back down on her cot in a decidedly unladylike fashion. Obviously she has no preparations to do and would have appreciated sleeping in, she's a _prisoner_. The man woke her just to spite her.

Sitting in her dark, silent and cold cell Maribelle wonders not for the first time where she is and how long her captors are waiting before giving a ransom. Maybe they've already sent a ransom message to Ylisse but haven't told her so as to not give her hope. That's a distinct possibility. She hopes they've realized they won't get anything from her, but then again they haven't really _tried_ yet.

The duchess of Themis is not stupid, she knows that if they really thought she had something valuable to tell them they would do more than confine her to a cell and occasionally wake her up with water. It's no secret that the Plegians have torturers, and the man she just spoke to has threatened to 'have a session with her' more than once should she not speak.

She's starting to think his threats are empty though.

Without anything else to do, the duchess returns to her slumber. It's better than sitting and brooding over her situation. The more she sleeps the less she has to be awake for this awful situation before it's over.

###

"So…" The man says as he forks another portion of meat into his mouth. "If you just tell me what the Prince has been up to these last few months, I'll let you have the rest of this." He motions to the food he's eating. The crispy steak gives off a tantalizing smell, and the glistening leaves of the salad next to it are equally attractive.

Maribelle is _offended_ that he thinks she can be baited by such a base thing as hunger. "I refuse." She says simply.

Right now she's sitting across an uncomfortable stone table from her captor. The otherwise empty room is lit by bright torchlight which is a nice change from the darkness of her cell. Surprisingly she's not restrained, apparently he doesn't think she can threaten him.

To be fair, she probably can't. He's already thrown her over his shoulder like a sack of rice with no apparent effort once before.

The bald man chews thoughtfully and carves off another piece of the steak. "I'm not asking for any world-shatting details Miss Themisia. Did he go to a party? Has he been entertaining a lady? Idle gossip is just fine."

"I didn't realize you Plegians were so desperate as to resort to _gossip_ for information." The noble scoffs.

The man doesn't rise to her taunt. He's just as calm as her, and if she didn't hate him so much Maribelle might respect the man for that. "I'm offering you a good deal Miss Themisia. A bit of gossip for a good meal is quite generous, especially considering how little you've eaten so far."

He's not wrong, but Maribelle knows better than to start creating a rapport with her captor. Small exchanges make her more likely agree with requests. It's best to just not agree to anything. She crosses her arms and turns up her nose defiantly, refusing this exchange.

###

"It's really tempting you know." The man whispers in her ear. He's standing right next to her, violating her personal space as she's forced to stand uncomfortably on the balls of her feet due to her hands being tied above her head to a steel bolt embedded in the wall. He trails a finger over her cheek and she resists the urge to bite him, that would be undignified. "You're unscarred, so pretty. It would be a treat to have someone so pure to break in."

In truth her heart is pounding in her chest. It's all she can do to not tremble, and she's too exhausted to whimper or cry. Maribelle is long past tired of holding her head high, and is letting it droop against her body.

The man moves out of sight, and she can hear him humming as he picks up one of the many instruments on the table nearby. "Hmm… where to begin? The first strike is always the most satisfying." He cracks a whip once. Maribelle flinches at the noise but no pain follows. The man's aim is precise, he fell just short of her body. "No, no, that's too simple." He says, putting the whip down. "The first should be memorable, I need something _exotic_."

Maribelle prays for this session of taunting and threatening to be over so she can just _sleep_.

###

"So, this is the bitch you managed to snag?" The King of Plegia sneers as he gets down on one knee in front of Maribelle and grips her by the chin.

"Yes my king." The bald man says with a stiff bow. It's strange to see him tense rather than with his usual horrific calm confidence.

"Robin…" The dark-skinned lady chuckles as she sharply pokes Maribelle in the side with her long nails. "I'm surprised with you, there's not a scratch on her."

"You know my rule sister." Maribelle's tormenter, now identified as Robin, says coldly.

"Yes, yes, you only use your instruments on _criminals_ and prisoners of war "don't count" because they're "no different from our soldiers"." The lady's distaste is evident. "You best have gotten _something_ out of her then to justify not using your greatest asset."

"Of course I did." Robin says. Maribelle is surprised, she refused to say _anything_ the entire time, what on Earth did he learn? "She doesn't like steak."

The duchess blinks in shock. Is that a joke?

"Robin…" Gangrel says slowly. "Are you trying to say you didn't learn _anything_?"

"I have a few educated guesses." Robin says slowly. "I studied her reactions to certain questions, when she's instinctively flinch and tense and such, and due to that I have reason to think the prince was on some sort of trip in the last few months and that the Exalt hasn't been growing her army."

"We already knew that." The King says thinly.

"Not true, you _presumed_ that." Robin counters. "This is further evidence than what reports you get from hired _barbarians_."

"Careful what you say around the prisoner!" Adversa snaps.

"Don't be stupid." Robin scoffs in return. "She's no fool, she _knows_ all this. That's why she got captured in the first place, trying to get our raiding parties to back off."

It's true, though in hindsight it was foolish of her. She walked right into an ambush with only a small contingent of cavaliers to protect her. She wonders where those men are now; they were captured as well but she has no reason to think they'd have been valued as highly as her.

"I'm disappointed in you Robin." The king says curtly as he stands back up. "You got us nothing of value, _again_."

"I did what I could my King, but I won't resort to tortue on innocents no matter how much it may help us and no matter how much I might _love_ to." The bald man says calmly. His honesty about wanting to hurt people is frankly unnerving. "If I do that, how am I any better than the former Exalt?"

"You're _not_ we don't _need to be_." Gangrel spits. "The man was a monster towards us and our people, and his own deserve no better in return."

Robin purses his lips but doesn't respond. Clearly he disagrees, and for the first time Maribelle can actually find some shred of respect for the man she otherwise hates. He's an unabashed sadist who's made her life hell but he has some sense of morality, which is apparently more than can be said for the other two.

"I expect you to do better on our trip back to the capital Robin." The King growls and stalks off to the exit. "We're going to be at war, and I won't have us lose because of _your_ sentimentality!"

Maribelle hides her alarm. She's going back to the Plegian capital!? She's not being ransomed!? Oh gods, she's going to have to deal with more of this or _worse_ if she doesn't stay under Robin's authority.

Naga, she feels sick.

###

The wind is cutting, but Maribelle doesn't care. It's the first she's seen of the outdoors in a month… or she thinks it's been a month. She lost track of time rather quickly.

The noble is surprised to see that she's at the border pass. They're standing on the slope of a large hill on the Plegian side of the border. Robin is standing just behind her holding the end of a chain attached to her manacles. It seems pretty unnecessary considering there's an entire company of troops here, but she _is_ a prisoner.

She doesn't miss the metal gauntlets and a long-chained flail on his belt though. Robin is also wearing chainmail armor and a thick long coat. He's ready for combat, and Maribelle suspects she's been brought out into the sun to work as a bargaining chip.

Her suspicions are confirmed when the Ylissian banner appears over the horizon, and the Shepherds themselves march to the foot of the hill. The Exalt, in all her glory, has come as well much to Maribelle's shock.

"Hmm… small diverse squad. Definitely the Shepherds." Robin mutters upon seeing the group. "Prince and Princess must be here then."

His tone conveys no excitement, if anything he sounds worried.

"Hope your country doesn't fall today Miss Themisia." The man grunts, taking a few steps forwards. He gently pushes her in the back, signalling for her to move. "If Gangrel catches all three of the royal family, the war is over."

Immediately Maribelle realizes this is a set up. There's no _real_ bargaining happening today, it's all an excuse to attack the royal family. "You don't plan to talk at all. You _swine_."

"Gangrel and my sister don't plan to talk." Robin corrects. "Tactician I may be, but I have no say in this. I'm too 'soft' according to them."

This man is _soft_? Maribelle shudders to think what it must be like for prisoners unfortunate enough to _not_ be in his care.

The discussions are obviously a sham from the start. Gangrel keeps up only the barest pretense of diplomacy and quickly makes an unreasonable demand to have the Fire Emblem.

Chrom is the one to fall for the bait, and Maribelle isn't surprised. The soldiers get a little too close, and the Prince cuts them down fearing an attack.

A sudden burst of wind catches Maribelle off guard. She was so absorbed in the proceedings she didn't even think about watching her surroundings. She's equally surprised when Ricken comes running up and grabs her arm, shouting for her to run.

Maribelle doesn't even think, she bolts alongside him. The chain that was formerly in Robin's hands is now dragging in the grass behind her and the man in question is just picking himself back up from Ricken's attack.

"Lissa's gonna Rescue us when we get to the cliffside!" The boy shouts, blowing a soldier away with another gust of wind. "We might be just out of range, so jump off when we get to it!"

Maribelle does _not_ like this plan, but she trusts her beloved treasure and if she says jump then the duchess will damn well jump… pardon the language.

###

"Wow Boss, you look like a corpse!" Henry chirps.

"Caw!" Fog says in agreement. "Caw, caw!"

"Is that a compliment or an insult this time?" The man in question asks tiredly.

"Depends." Tharja mutters as she flips through the papers. "Do you look dead because you did hard work, or because of your meeting with Gagrel?"

"Meeting with Gangrel." The bald tactician grumbles. He's lying on his back in his cot while his two retainers talk at him.

"Fun. Is that why all these prisoners are being taken out of your care?" Tharja asks, holding up a few papers.

"Yes."

"I told you being so soft wouldn't end well for you." The dark-haired girl snorts.

"You agreed with me." Robin scoffs softly and closes his eyes. "Don't pretend you're fond of injuring innocent people yourself."

"You're just as soft as he is Tharja!" Henry cackles. "And if we take that literally, you're the softest person here!"

"Caw!"

"Hilarious." Tharja glowers. "Remember _you're_ not one of those innocent people. I have no qualms cursing _you_ Henry."

"Nyahaha! You can try!" He chirps happily. "It's been a while since I've had a good curse to fight!"

While his retainers engage in their usual banter Robin is deep in thought. This whole interrogator business is… well _fun_ is the wrong word, it feels like it _fits_ him, but as of late Gangrel is making things difficult. Morality is a must for a ruler, it's what stops people like _him_ from doing horrible things, but he's throwing that to the wayside.

That's part of the problem people had with the former Exalt, and Gangrel is succumbing to the same immorality. Robin has always prided himself of being a moral person despite his macabre interests and skills, and it would seem that the moral right no longer lies with Plegia.

The tactician can't believe he's actually considering turning traitor.

###

"You delivered the warning?"

"Sure did Boss. I put my most trusted buddy on the job!" Henry says cheerily.

"Fog?"

"Yup!"

Robin nods in approval. "Good. Any word from Tharja?

"Yeah, she sent a message back." The dark mage laughs. He pulls it from his pocket and gives it to the tactician. "It was something like: hey Henry old pal, boy your birds are great! I wish we could send messages like this all the time!"

Robin eyes the message. Tharja's first words of the letter are, to quote: "Henry, if your bird ruins my hair one more time I'm going to roast it over a spit."

The tactician decides not to comment on that. The rest of the message is directed to him and details how she's successfully managed to get some important prisoners out from the Plegian Royal Palace and is currently smuggling them to the Ylisse-Plegia border.

Tharja is skilled in hexes, and getting a few guards and a warden out of the way are no problem for someone of her skill.

She also mentions how much these people are unrepentant racist assholes towards her despite her getting them free, and that she'd be more than willing to let him have a few minutes with them. Robin is tempted to send back a message that says "you first" but if these prisoners are going to be their ticket into Ylisse without getting killed then it's probably best to have them in good health.

…

Maybe just one whip? A little cut? Gods that's so tempting. Hopefully they find some bandits on their way to the border. Robin could use an outlet.

###

It was probably a good idea to let Henry do the talking. He's a bit _off_ , but certainly better than himself or Tharja for making a good first impression.

"We've decided to _wing_ the other way!" Henry says with a wide smile, standing before the small group of guards. "Gangrel has deviated from the _caws_ , and we wanna stay on the good guys' side! Just don't go _talon_ anyone that doesn't need to know, this sorta secret will spread as fast as the crow flies if you've got a loose beak!"

There's no actual guarantee people would _believe_ that the head hierophant's son defected, but it's not a good idea to spread info like that around so Robin instructed Henry to make sure the guards' tongues wouldn't wag.

Jury's out on if they'll actually _keep_ the secret, but it's worth a shot.

###

" _You_." Maribelle seethes. She's acting unlike her usually composed self, though quite understandably so. The others all seem quite surprised though, they don't know the history between the two. The tactician's tale of being fired and then turning coat has done little to dissuade her anger.

"Me." Robin agrees. "Hello Miss Themisia."

"What are you doing here?" She asks sharply, leveling the point of her umbrella at the man.

"Robin is going to be helping us for now." Chrom says, stepping up beside the man. "I understand you two have a poor history-"

" _That_ is understating my experience." Maribelle mutters.

"-but I hope you two can push past it to at least work together if needed." The prince finishes, ignoring the interruption. "Maribelle, you've done unpleasant things to others in your own line of work, don't try and tell me you haven't."

The noble grimaces. It's true, being involved in the law means upkeeping it… which can mean enforcing laws when they really shouldn't be enforced and hurting the people you should be helping.

She has to enforce old racist wartime restrictions that were never redacted because the upper lawmakers are too lazy, busy, or just racist themselves to change them and Maribelle lacks the authority to do it herself. She must also lock up the poor man for stealing regardless of the fact that it's the only way he can feed his family, and she can't offer aid afterwards because it's 'unprofessional'.

Maribelle _has_ played the villain as much as she doesn't like to admit it. It's her _job_ to do so on occasion. Not to the extent of Robin, but Chrom unfortunately has a point. They're both doing their job, and she knows very well that Robin was as lenient on her and others to the point of getting _fired_ for it if his story is true.

" _Fine_ , but I won't be happy about it!"

"I never expected you to." Chrom says with a flat expression. Maribelle feels slightly miffed, from the way he's saying that it sounds like the Prince is saying he _never_ expects her to be happy. The prince turns to look at the rest of his team and says: "anyways, Robin and his retainers will be helping us for the next while. Consider them Shepherds for now, and treat them accordingly." The blue-haired boy glances at the man and his two dark mages. "Same goes for you three. Act accordingly."

"Of course." Robin nods. The white-haired mage behind him nods as well, and the black-haired girl reluctantly copies them.

###

"Bleed for me!" Robin laughs. His flail swings in a wide arc and cracks the unfortunate bandit across the knees which sends the man to the ground screaming in pain. The tactician doesn't end him instantly, and makes a show of slowly walking forwards while twirling his flail in a circle by his side. The chain is so long he has to hold the handle in one hand and the halfway point of the chain in the other and twirl it from there. He savours the wimperings of fear and pain for a few seconds before he finally smashes the man's head in with the ball of his flail.

"Can you _not_?" Sully grunts, killing her own foe cleanly and quickly. "Ugh, that's creepy."

"If I wanted to, but it's so _fun_." The man chuckles darkly. "I love the looks on their faces. The pain and fear… it's such a rush!"

"Nyhahaha! I just love the _crunching_ noise when their skulls break!" Henry cackles. "It's so _bloody,_ and their brains look so mushy!"

"Ugh…" Tharja grunts, kicking aside a dead body. "Boss, if you've had your fun can we finish this up? I have ingredients to collect."

" _Why do I have to deal with these Plegians?_ " Maribelle seethes, healing an injured Stahl. " _I suppose it's better than my precious Lissa being sent with these lunatics._ "

Usually six people is a bit much to deal with a few bandits. Chrom wanted Robin and his team to go out though, but didn't trust them alone so he sent three other Shepherds along with them.

"Henry, can you send your crows to go see if there's any bandits left?" Robin asks.

"Sure can boss! You hear that Fog?"

"Caw!"

"Thanks buddy!" Henry smiles. He waves at the large black bird as it flies off. Fog caws several more times, summoning up the rest of her murder to search.

"Just give them a few minutes." Henry says cheerily. He takes a seat on a log and starts poking at one of the dead bandits' brains with a stick. "Oooh… it's still warm."

Maribelle shivers. She can't wait for this to be over.

###

"Unhand me!" Maribelle hisses. Her attempts to get away are thwarted by her own dislocated leg. The troubadour feebly hits the bald man on the shoulder, and when he decides he's had enough he pins her to the ground with his legs so she stops squirming.

"If you keep moving you're only going to make it worse." The man says. "I'm going to fix your leg."

"D-Do you even know how?" Maribelle gasps in horror.

"Yes. I did it all the time during interrogations." Robin says calmly. The noble is _not_ reassured.

"Th-That means it's painful!"

"Well yes, I don't know how to use heal staves and yours is broken anyways." The man grunts. "Now stop squirming. Trust me, you want me to do this right the _first_ time."

The lady falls quiet. Her horror is painted on her face, but the man isn't going to be deterred (and he can't see her face anyways). Maribelle realizes this has to happen though, they're in the middle of a forest with bandits around and no other healers nearby. Leaving her leg dislocated would only be a hindrance.

"On three." Robin says calmly. "One, three."

Maribelle is thrown off, and that probably dulls the first moments of pain a very slight amount. That said, it's still _agonizing_.

"In future missions maybe I should bring some freeze root extract." The man mutters. He's totally ignoring her barely concealed screams of pain as he holds her leg and hip in place. "I never thought I'd actually have a use for an anesthetic, that sure would be nice about now."

" _Oh really_?" Maribelle growls to herself in a decidedly unladylike fashion. " _Thanks for reminding me_!" She keeps that part inside though; even in her time of weakness she wants to show _some_ level of composure.

"You know, this would be exciting if you _weren't_ my teammate." Robin says conversationally. His voice is dispassionate and unemotional, and Maribelle can't tell if he's disappointed she's not someone he can torture or if this is his way of expressing empathy.

Either way, she's still thinks he's a terrible person.

###

"Gangrel." Robin greets calmly.

"Traitor!" The King responds with a sneer. "I can't believe you're actually showing your face to me! You should know I won't let you away alive!"

A battle may be raging around them, but both men are focused on each other alone. The other Shepherds are steadily battering back Gangrel's personal guards and it's only a matter of time before the Mad King is captured or killed.

"Says the man who's backed into a corner with his whole army deserting him." The tactician says. He swings his flail lazily, letting the head rock like a pendulum beside him. The bald man isn't expecting to be the one to kill Gangrel, he's fully anticipating Chrom to run in at any moment and do the job himself.

"And who's fault is that? You abandoned us in our time of need." The man scoffs. "All because you got _sentimental_ and mad over me giving you a slap on the wrist."

Gangrel is referring, of course, to taking away his prisoners. That was admittedly the straw that broke the camel's back, but it was hardly the only thing that drove Robin to turn coat. "My fault or otherwise, it doesn't matter. You need to be stopped and that's what we're doing."

"I need to be stopped? Bah! I'm disappointed in you Robin, I never took you for a _bigot_. Have you forgotten what the Ylissians did to us? The pain they caused? The people the killed?"

"No, I haven't. I'm not _fond_ of being on the Ylissians' side." Robin admits. "But I do what I think is right regardless of how much I want to do otherwise."

"And _this_ is right? You've ruined Plegia! The people will not survive another depression, but that's what you've brought on us by helping the Ylissians! They'll be starving, broke, and in pain! The bandits were only kept occupied because we pointed them at Ylisse, without our money they'll turn back on easy targets, _our_ people!"

"I know." Robin says flatly. "But there are other ways of dealing with that problem aside from war, and if that's lost on you then it's really not _my_ fault. You'll be dethroned, and hopefully someone less _stupid_ can be put in charge."

"Yourself?"

"Hardly." Robin snorts. "I'm no ruler, and that's not a problem for _me_ to solve." Starting to get bored, the man looks around the battle for Chrom. He doesn't think there's much longer he can stall Gangrel before they come to blows.

The blue-haired prince has noticed the conversation, but he's tangled up with a hero and myrmidon and can't disengage. Robin resigns himself to a fight and swings the head of the flail so it sits just behind him. When he attacks he wants the head of his weapon to travel further to gain more momentum, it's slower but stronger.

"Trying to evade responsibility are we?" The King sneers. His fingers go to his levin sword when he sees Robin preparing to fight. "And considering to _strike_ against your own King as well! My, you've fallen so far."

Robin casually drinks a speed tonic, grimacing at the bitter taste. "I could say something similar about you but I won't bother. You've always been stubborn."

"You just don't _have_ an argument, you know I'm right!" Gangrel laughs. His sword flicks off his belt, sending sparks dancing in the desert sun. "Come on, traitor! Try me! The Mad Dog of Plegia is the alpha for good reason!"

With a snort of irritation Robin stomps forwards. The spiked flail head drags in the sand, creating an uneven trail behind the tactician as he moves. With a sharp flick of his hand he sends the head and chain through the air in an arc, which the King effortlessly avoids.

The fight is clearly one-sided from the start. Gangrel's reflexes are more than enough to dodge Robin's telegraphed swings of his flail. The Mad King peppers the tactician with bolts of lightning from his own weapon which the man is mostly avoiding in large thanks to the speed tonic he drank. Still, the bald man is suffering small electrical burns from the attacks that _do_ hit.

"Chrom!" The tactician shouts. "Anytime would be nice!"

"Busy!" The prince shouts back.

Robin grunts when a bolt of lightning hits his shoulder. Pain crackles down his arm, but he retains his grip on his weapon. "Grima above, I need help!"

"And so you'll get it." Maribelle's haughty voice says, sounding obviously peeved. Cool healing magic pulses through Robin's body, and it's a welcome contrast to the heat of the sun and his electrical burns. "Do finish up. We're in a battle, this is no time to play with him."

"Your faith is grossly misplaced at the moment, but I appreciate it." Robin grunts. "Avoid getting zapped please."

"As if a brute such as him could hit _me_." The troubadour scoffs.

"That sounds like a challenge!" Gangrel cackles, changing his focus. "A bitch on an ass? That's an easy target! You'll die next!"

Both Robin and Maribelle are glad it never comes to that. Maribelle's healing keeps Robin on his feet long enough for Chrom to swoop in and take down Gangrel.

The whole experience is Robin's first real taste of being a punching bag, and he'll admit a sort of morbid fascination to be on the receiving end of constant pain for once. It's not pleasant, but he can't say it deters him from inflicting it on others. The difference (in his opinion) is that people he hurts deserve it, if anything he feels _satisfied_ he brings this upon the assholes of the world.

Gods lighting _stings_ though.

###

"Well, it's been something." Robin says, addressing what few of the Shepherds actually came to see him and his retainers off: Chrom, Frederick, Emmeryn, Libra, Donnel, and Maribelle. "Under better circumstances… well let's be honest, we _still_ wouldn't have liked each other. Under better circumstances we would _never_ have worked together."

"I can't say I disagree." Chrom admits. "For what it's worth though, I'm thankful for your help."

"Likewise." Robin sighs. "Hopefully, _hopefully_ , Plegia can start healing now, but knowing that our raids were providing most of the food for the country I don't have high hopes."

"Our trade deal-" Chrom starts.

" _Might_ help." The tactician interrupts. "But don't count on it making some miraculous improvement. The bandits, now not being paid to hunt _your_ land, will turn back to easier targets, namely Plegian villages. The trade routes will be assailed, and there's only so much that can be done about it."

"Are you sure…?" Emmeryn whispers, looking crestfallen.

"No, I'm not." Robin admits. "I'm neither politician nor leader. I don't know everything that can be done, I'm making a guess. Perhaps things will turn out better than I expect, perhaps not." He glances at all of them individually, giving each Shepherd a nod. "Prince Chrom, Lady Emmeryn, Frederick, Libra, Donnel, Miss Themisia… goodbye. Let us hope we don't have to meet again. I hate to think of what awful circumstances could force us together again."

"Quite right." Maribelle huffs. "You're the most unpleasant man I've ever had the misfortune of holding respect for."

"That's more than I expected." The bald man says honestly. "I'm stunned at your capacity for forgiveness Miss Themisia."

"Forgiveness? Not even close." She scoffs, turning up her nose. "Begone before I lose my patience."

Robin chuckles dryly. "As you wish." He bows to the group and his retainers follow suit. The three then mount their horses, turn around, and ride off back to the desert.

Maribelle couldn't be more glad this part of her life is over with.

* * *

 **Originally this version of Robin was going to have a man catcher, but that was hard to work into the story and it's not really a weapon suited for war.**

* * *

 **Shakuras** **:** Unlikely but fine, definitely at some point, not sure what NG means, genderfluid is already on the list, slime has already been done, and no.

 **Darklight of the o arcana** **:** Yep, so many _edgy_ people wanted to see Goddess Robin apparently.

 **Darkness is complete** **:** Sure. That's a story-breaking power though, so… unlikely.

 **Pengaius** **:** I'll label that Doppelganger Robin.

 **Guest** **:** Sure, why not?

 **Some guy paragon** **:** I guess. I don't play that game, so if I ever do it I'll be basing this off D&D style orcs probably.

 **FavChanger** **:** It's reassuring to hear that my representation wasn't completely off. My main worry was that I was going to get some fundamental part of Autism totally wrong, because I put a lot of thought into that chapter and was terrified it would go over poorly. E _verything_ could have gone wrong. I was worried I was portraying her inability to read emotions wrong, or her sensitivity to sound and touch, or her coping mechanism, or just so many things that could be completely incorrect.

Anyways, I'm glad you enjoyed my messy first attempt at making an autistic character.


	38. Multiple Personality Disorder Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **Minor: Dark Flier, Immortal, Boxer (Pugilist), Exploitive, Swordmaster, Angry Cinnamon Roll, Tripping, Perpetual Cheer, Chef, Blacksmith, Pegasus Knight, Teacher, Librarian, Masochist, Literal-Minded, Authoritative, Middle Age, Wyvern Rider.**

 **Standard: Elemental, Deaf, Foreign, Future sight, Tiny, Nurse/Medic, Valmese Tactician, Medusa, Amazon, Genderfluid, Gift from Validar + evil to good, Mind Control, Banshee, Bard, Dancer, Mimic, Emotionless, Crippling Overspecialization (Idiot Savant), Coward, ESP, POW, PTSD, Magician, Mute, Savage, Handicapped, Secret Helper, Crazy, Respawn, MPD, Morpher, Dreamwalker, Motherly, Lich, Twins, Regenerating, Animal Whisperer (horse/wyvern), Naga/Tiki Assistant, Sleepless, Plant, Fairy, Deadly Touch, Mind Reader, Doppelganger, Arachne, D &D magic, Umbramancer.**

 **Unlikely: Chrom's child, Minotaur, Paladin, Werewolf, Assassin, Future Soldier, Bounty Hunter, Weather control, Kleptomaniac, Druid, Steampunk, Shadow Familiar, Magic Augmentation, Lucky, Exile, Piper (Charmer), Gladiator, Witch Doctor, Centaur, Drunk, Demon, Punk, Harpy, Revenant, Luck Manipulation, Demon Summoner, Megalomaniac, Kitsune, King of Plegia, Mood Ring, Reverse Aging, Hammerspace, Prostitute, Demon Hunter, Cyborg, Maid/Servant/Butler, Deadlord, Rebellion, Einherjar, Trap, Yandere, Living Weapon, Size Shifter, Queen of Plegia, Gluttonous, Stretchy, Ninja, Alchemist, Protoss, Spirit Manipulation, Invisible, Plegian Honor Guard, Mecha, Kryptonian, Creator, Orc, Memory Stealing Respawn, Racer, Khan, Elder God, Misfortune, Vampire Hunter.**

 **Other: Pokemon Trainer, Self-insert, Second Generation replacement, Dimensional Walker, Cycle, Fates.**

 **Multiple Personality Disorder Robin, requested by SirHaloFan. Though this is less MPD and more just a shared body.**

* * *

"C'mon! Try harder!" Vaike bellows. He swings the practice axe hard at her legs. The girl nimbly jumps out of the way, snarling at him. "If you're mad, put your anger into it! Fight with your heart!"

"Fuck you!" Audax snaps. She ducks under the next attack and jumps to bring her practice hammer down in a hefty overhead blow.

She's far too slow. Vaike dodges effortlessly and kicks her in the stomach after she lands which sends her sprawling into the dirt of the training ground. "Too slow! What were you plannin' to hit with that? A snail? You won't beat The Vaike like that!"

" _Audax…"_

The white-haired girl spits at him, baring her teeth in a feral snarl. She rises to her feet and drags her weapon up with her. "This thing's weight is all wrong! How do you expect me to practice with this?!"

" _D-Don't yell at him_."

"Well we can't have ya using _that_ thing." Vaike snorts, nodding his head to the massive mordenkrad sitting next to his axe on a log not far off. "That'd squish my head like a melon!"

"No it won't, because I _can't fucking hit you!_ " Audax growls. She swings her weapon again, but Vaike hooks his axe around the head of the hammer and yanks it from her hands. "See? _See!?_ "

" _You can't very well use our actual weapon in sparring, you_ _know_ _this._ "

Vaike rolls his eyes. It's clear that they won't make any progress today. Audax is angry, which is fine, but she's not making good use of that anger, instead she's making excuses. "Alright, Vaike gets it, we're done for today."

"What?!"

"I can see you ain't gonna improve right now, so it's probably good if we stop." The blonde-haired man points out.

" _A-Audax…"_

"No! You said we'd train for a full hour!"

"And we would if you weren't busy being all pouty instead o' fighting!" Vaike snorts.

"Are you calling me childish?" Audax snarls.

" _Do_ _not_ _rise to the bait Audax. You're letting your anger get the best of you again_."

"Hell yeah I am _squirt_." Vaike taunts. He knows how much Audax's childish body frustrates her, and it's a sure-fire way to get her to rage.

Her red eyes narrow into a glare. "You did _not_ just call me squirt."

" _Ooh… show him how much of a woman you can be!_ "

" _Libidine_ _, not now._ "

"If you say so _kid_." Vaike continues. He turns his back to her and starts slowly walking to put away his practice weapon. "Come get me when you're ready to put that anger to good use instead o' throwing a tantrum."

Within seconds her hand is on his shoulder and her nails digging into his skin. Audax's voice is cold and furious. "We're going again."

" _Audax,_ _no_."

" _Audax yes! Keep_ _playing_ "

"Are we?" Vaike asks, hiding his grin.

"Yes. I'm going to kick your ass for those remarks." She seethes.

" _N-not again…_ "

" _Finally_." Vaike thinks, turning to face the angry girl. He lets a smile break out over his face. "Well come at me then squirt, show Teach you're more than you look!"

###

"Honestly you two, there are ways to communicate _other_ than smashing each other with blunt weapons." Lissa scolds as she heals them both up. Audax opens her mouth, but the healer cuts her off. "And don't try to blame Vaike! You know full well he was taunting you, and don't pretend Cessabit and Timor didn't try to stop you!"

The girl snaps her jaw closed and glares at Lissa. The princess is right of course, both Cessabit and Timor were very vocal about her _not_ getting carried away, but she did anyways. "But Lib-"

"You know better than to listen to Libidine! She thinks with her hormones and not her head!" Lissa groans.

" _I do not!_ "

" _Yes you do._ "

" _Y-Yeah…_ "

"And Vaike, stop baiting her!" The princess continues. "It's not nice to try and get her mad!"

"C'mon, Aud fights best when she's mad!" Vaike protests. "I was _helping_!"

"No, you weren't." Lissa says firmly as she finishes the healing. "Now run along, and I better not see you two doing this again!"

The two step back out into the hall, sulking. They walk in silence for a few seconds before Vaike speaks. "I totally won that."

"Like hell you did, I was kicking your ass." Audax scoffs. "If Frederick hasn't stopped us I would have beaten you."

They stare each other down, with Vaike grinning confidently and Audax snarling. The girl speaks again.

"Cess, who won?"

Audax hears a mental sigh from the other girl. " _A spar in inconclusive until a hit is landed, and in that last match neither of you did so. Who 'would have won' is a pointless argument, as battle is not so easily predictable._ "

"Killjoy…"

"What'd she say?"

"Nothing useful."

"How 'bout we settle this another way then?" Vaike suggests with a sly smile.

"How?"

"We can have a different competition. Whoever can go through five training dummies the fastest wins!"

" _Audax-_ "

"Are you _trying_ to lose? You're on!"

" _Not again…_ "

###

"I-I don't know…"

"C'mon Timor, we go to the bar all the time!" Vaike wheedles.

"No, you and _Audax_ go to the bar all the time." The timid girl mumbles. "I've never gone."

"First time for everything!"

"B-But what if I make a fool of myself?"

"Tim, _everyone_ makes a fool of 'emselves when we go to the bar. That's half the point!"

" _It's pretty fun Timor, you should do it!_ "

" _If you don't want to, don't let Vaike bait you into it. That said, stepping out of your comfort zone is also important._ "

" _More time with Vaike is always a good thing! You should go!_ "

"Ooh…" Timor whimpers. She wrings her hands nervously. "I don't know…"

"All the other Shepherds will be there!" Vaike continues. "Even Sumia'll be there; you two could talk about yer books!"

Timor's ears immediately perk up.

" _Hit the sweet spot._ "

" _Well, that settles that._ "

" _Sumia is fine too I guess…_ "

"Well… if Sumia is coming I _suppose_ I could go." Timor says reluctantly. Her grey eyes flick hesitantly up to the blonde man.

"Yeah! That's the spirit!" Vaike cheers. He throws an arm around the girl, who fidgets nervously at the contact. "Let's go!"

"N-Now!?"

"Yeah! Everyone else has already left, I came to get you." The fighter laughs, leading her to the door. "C'mon!"

"Oh dear, oh dear…"

###

"Timor!" Sumia laughs, hugging the timid girl. "Oh, I didn't think you'd come!"

"V-Vaike convinced me." She mumbles. Timor clutches her mordenkrad with one hand while returning the pegasus knight's hug with the other.

"She still insisted on bringing the hammer though." Vaike chuckles. "Self defence she says."

"Well of course!" Lissa chimes in. "A cute girl like her can't be without protection! What if some drunk tried to bother her?"

"She can't hit them with the hammer." Chrom reminds them sternly. "I can't condone permanent injury of random people, even if they are drunk."

" _Asshole shouldn't be getting drunk if they know they'll be a nuisance. A good smash serves em' right._ "

" _Well, I agree with the first part at least. However I side with Chrom on the matter of dealing with said people._ "

"I-It's just a deterrent." Timor mumbles. "And it makes me feel safe…"

"I'll hold you to that." The prince warns. "No hammering."

" _Aww…_ "

" _What? You expected something? Timor isn't you Lib._ "

"No hammering." The girl nods in quiet agreement.

"You'll be fine Tim." Vaike laughs, patting the girl on the back. "Now let's get some booze in here! It's time to party!"

###

"Which one of you is it today?" Emmeryn asks apologetically. From this distance she can't see the color of Robin's eyes, so she can't tell which personality is in control.

To clarify, "Robin" is the name of the body Audax, Timor, Cessabit, and Libidine share. More often than not they introduce themselves as Robin rather than their actual names to reduce confusion and not have to explain their shifting control to every person they meet. This doesn't apply to Emmeryn, but most people outside of the Shepherds aren't aware of it and just know them as Robin.

"It is Cessabit you Highness." The yellow-eyed girl says with a bow. Her calm tone alone is a dead giveaway as to her identity. "Audax has control today, but she gave me time to have this discussion."

"Ah, well thank her for me." The Exalt murmurs.

" _You're welcome._ "

"She can hear you Milady." Cessabit responds quietly. "The others can always hear, see, smell, touch, and taste through the active one."

"Right, of course." Emmeryn coughs. She clearly feels a bit abashed that she can't remember details about her brother's tactician. "Let us move on to the main topic."

"Of course."

"Plegia is mobilizing, and while I am loath to admit it we must prepare for war." Emmeryn says solemnly. "I want to ask you and Chrom to go to Ferox and ask for an alliance."

"What do we have to offer them? They have little reason to join a war with an ally that has next to no army." Cessabit points out. This has been a point of contention before; Chrom, Lissa, and even the council are against the Exalt's demobilization policy. It's _only_ Emmeryn who's kept this policy afloat, and that's only because _she_ is in control and not someone else.

The exalt clearly recognizes the silent scolding Cessabit is directing at her, and grimaces slightly. "I know. That's why I'm authorizing you to offer them the secrets of Brave crafting in return."

Cessabit blinks. Brave weapons are Ylisse's ultimate advantage, developed by Emmeryn's father during the height of the last Plegia-Ylisse war. They're an extremely potent type of weapon; Braves are frail, but sharp and light. It takes a master to properly use one, but they're horrifically powerful in the right hands. "You are willing to hand out such a dangerous secret?"

"What other choice do we have?" Emmeryn whispers. "We have nothing else of substance to offer."

Cessabit contemplates this silently, sighs, and nods. "I suppose that is true. I hope we do not regret this in the future. Ferox may be amicable now, but we cannot speak for future khans."

"We also cannot speak for future exalts." Emmeryn reminds her. "Should another end up like my father, perhaps it is only right we have a level playing field so other nations may defend themselves."

The tactician raises an eyebrow. "That's surprisingly big picture thinking for you Milady."

"Surprisingly?"

"With all due respect you've been _very_ narrow minded thus far, thinking only of your immediate circumstances." Cessabit says bluntly. "You refuse to keep a halfway decent army, even just as a defence force, which is coming back to bite us now, and you have done nothing to help Plegia recover over the last ten years you've been ruling despite Ylisse having more than enough food to spare and superior technology and learning Plegia could benefit from."

Emmeryn feels abashed, but that's not unusual when dealing with Cessabit. The tactician has spared no expense in expressing her disapproval of a number of Emmeryn's policies. The exalt doesn't want this to devolve into another ideological debate though, it is neither the time nor the place. "Be that as it may. We can argue at another time. Will you accept this mission?"

"Of course I will." The tactician says instantly. "I presume the Shepherds as a whole are being sent?"

"Yes."

"We'll leave within the end of the week." Robin says firmly. She bows and, not waiting to be dismissed, sharply turns about and exits the room.

###

"Gack!" Vaike coughs as the tactician pulls the handle of her practice weapon up against his neck, choking him. He pats her arm twice, showing his surrender, and she releases the pressure and removes her weapon. "Haaah… Gods, yer brutal as always, ain't ya Cess?"

"I'll take that as a complement. In battle, brutal and competent are interchangeable terms." The yellow eyed girl says camly. "You're still too slow in reacting to mix-ups. I grappled you without much resistance."

"I'm pretty sure that's just cuz' you're fast and not cuz' I'm slow." Vaike snorts. He massages his throat with a grimace.

"Vaike, in a battle those might as well be the same thing." Cessabit berates. "You're stronger than me anyways, you should have been able to break out from that before I started choking you too badly."

"You ain't _that_ weak." He scoffs.

"Relative to you? Yes I am." The tactician retorts. "Just like you're slow compared to me."

"Keep rubbing it in why don't ya…"

"As long as you keep losing, I will keep mentioning it." Cessabit scolds. "We all need to keep improving, and you've shown no signs of improvement towards breaking free from or resisting them."

"Ah geez, you're almost as bad as Freddy." Vaike sighs. He throws an arms over the girl's shoulder. "Stop being so uptight Cess."

"I'm not being uptight. You're just being lazy."

"Hey, s'all relative right? Might as well be the same thing." Vaike teases.

"Don't try to turn my own logic back on me." Cessabit huffs. "I told you that logic applies to _battle_."

"You just don't wanna admit you can't chill out."

"And you don't want to put in the work to actually improve your fighting. You just want to look 'buff'."

"Hey, the ladies love it!"

" _True… until they see your massive ego._ "

"Which ones?"

"Uh… Lib?"

" _So true~!_ "

"I think we can both agree Libidine is _not_ representative of most women."

###

The mordenkrad slams down on the Risen fighter's head with a sickening crunch, and it explodes into black mist. Despite the biting cold the purple-eyed girl is smiling widely as she crushes monster after monster with her oversized weapon.

"Are you alright Vaike?" Libidine asks cheerily as she hefts her hammer once more.

"Y-Yeah." The man says through chattering teeth. He sorely regrets not wearing his coat. "T-The Vaike is f-f-fine!"

" _I call bullshit_."

" _H-He must be freezing._ "

" _That's what he gets for being stubborn_."

"You don't look fine~!" Libidine sings teasingly. Despite the fact that they're on a battlefield in the freezing cold the girl is totally unphased. She skips through the snow with her giant weapon to walk by Vaike's side. She pointedly fluffs her fur coat, and giggles internally at Vaike's grimace. "I could help, are you _suuure_ you're okay?"

"The Vaike is _always_ fine." He says stubbornly. The blonde man stomps through the snow, trying to find something else to hit as Libidine trails behind him.

While teasing him is fun, the girl decides she's had her fill of entertainment. She skips ahead of him, and says "hold this" and shoves her hammer into his free hand. Libidine quickly unbuttons her coat, runs around back of Vaike, and jumps on his back. She adjusts her coat so that it covers (most) of their bodies, and snuggles against his back.

"Erm… I can't fight like this Lib."

"Oh, well then I guess you'll just have to go back to the caravan and get your coat." She hums.

"You can't be serious! Th-The Vaike is-"

"Half frozen? Yeah, you are." Libidine huffs. She blows air against his ear, and he shudders violently. "Go back to the convoy."

"Grr…"

###

"Whut?" Vaike grumbles through his stuffy nose. He shrinks deeper into his pile of blankets. His eyes are red-ringed and his voice is hoarse from sickness. "Here tot say you tod me so?"

"Well if you don't _want_ the soup..." Libidine huffs with a smile. She sits down next to him and hands him the bowl, which he reluctantly accepts.

"Tank you." The blonde man sighs.

"You really shouldn't be so reckless." She scolds gently. With a dramatic sweep of her arm to her head, she adds, "What would I do if you got hurt?"

"Kill da guy who get me." He suggests with a weak grin.

"Oh I will." Libidine hums with a deceptively serene smile. "But I'd much prefer that _didn't_ happen."

"Hey, der's a reason the Vaike stays ner you." The man grunts. "You're one crazy fightar. If anyone cahn keep meh safe, iz you."

" _I think his cold's getting to his head_."

"Aww, thank you~!" She coos. "But you'd be more safe if you just put in a bit more effort in training. There's only so much I can do with this small little body."

Vaike snorts. "Says the gurl that reguarly bets me in sparring."

"Oh, that's mostly Cess. I don't spar all that much." Libidine giggles.

" _Yeah, because the first time you sparred you broke Chrom's arm. With a_ _practice_ _hammer._ "

" _Y-You're too intense Libidine…_ "

"Hush."

"They talkin'?"

"Always. Apparently I'm 'too intense'." Libidine smiles. "A little girl like me~!"

Vaike smiles nervously. "Well I can't say der _wrong_."

"Not you too! I am not _intense_." Libidine huffs. "I'm just affectionate and cute~!"

"Sure…"

###

"Come on, just let me…" Libidine murmurs. She's sitting on her bed in a room at Ferox castle, talking with the others before bed.

" _No. Timor couldn't handle it._ " Cessabit refuses.

" _I'm all for it._ " Audax says.

" _N-N-No…_ " Timor mumbles. " _I-I-I wouldn't know what to do!_ "

"Ugh… why do we all have to share the same body?" Libidine bemoans. "Then I could just do this on my own."

" _Hey now_." Audax growls. " _I'm a fan of this idea, and it's not like Timor and Cess_ _don't_ _like him. Timor's just squeamish._ "

" _Be nice._ " Cessabit scolds.

" _What? It's true._ " Audax huffs.

"So we're waiting a bit longer?" Libidine sighs.

" _Yes_." Cessabit say firmly.

"We can't wait forever for Timor to gather her nerves." Libidine warns. "Unless we're just abandoning the idea, we should act soon."

" _Ooh…_ " Timor mumbles. " _I-I…_ "

"We'll wait for a bit longer." Libidine sighs. "But give us your decision soon please."

" _O-Okay…_ "

" _By the way_." Cessabit says suddenly. " _Audax_ , _I'm going to borrow some time off you tomorrow to plan for that tournament_."

" _Ah, right, that._ _Fine_." Audax grumbles. She's particularly prickly about having her time taken away. " _Are_ _we_ _going to fight in it?_ "

" _Probably. I was thinking yourself actually._ "

" _Not Lib?_ "

" _We don't want to_ _kill_ _them. This is a tournament._ "

"I resent that."

" _Lib, you don't know how to hold back_."

"I think I've done rather well so far. Outside of combat I haven't done anything egregious." Libidine huffs. "I think I've been rather tame."

" _Yeah, she hasn't jumped Vaike_ _yet_ _._ " Audax says sarcastically. " _Although I wouldn't call her_ _subtle_ _._ "

" _I think that's enough for today._ " Cessabit says. " _I don't think we're getting anywhere with this argument._ "

"Fine." Libidine sighs. She slips under the covers and extinguishes the candle on the nightstand next to them, and closes her eyes and goes to sleep.

* * *

 **I think this is a decent ending point. Here's to hoping all the italics and underlines translate through to the site intact.**

* * *

 **Sand Soldier** **:** Maybe, but I won't be using it in the way you hope. I'm bad at writing fight scenes to begin with, and a story-breaking power just makes it so the fights have no stakes and therefore are actually rather boring.

 **Guest** **:** No. Sorry, but… no. I don't do very well with comedy or crack ideas, and frankly don't have an interest in them.

 **Tacobell** **:** Why not? It's boring if Robin is white-haired, average build every time. I've changed up the appearance every single chapter, why are you only questioning this now?

 **Some guy paragon** **:** As I've probably mentioned before, I'm not very knowledgeable with other games, and I haven't played _any_ of those that you've mentioned. I have to veto those outright because I'm not putting in that much effort for just one chapter.

 **sailingship** **:** I have, and done so _multiple_ times. And Chrom is just an _easy_ pairing, so I have more freedom when I work with him rather than having to work around a different character.

 **Guest** **:** No, I've never played that. I get the idea though. My point of reference for the respawn idea is Log Horizon, as they did something similar with the EXP system. (albeit much more toned down)

 **Vanderspiegel :** Cuthulu a strange one but sure. I won't be touching the Blazing sword idea until I play the game, which may not be for a while, and seeing what I have of the older games I'm not so certain I'm even going to like them enough to bother writing about them, so don't hold your breath. Misfortune Robin seems curious… not sure how I'm going to deal with that but I'll put it on the list. I'll put Vampire Hunter up there too, but that might require a bit too much changing of the world to work in this collection.


	39. Respawn Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **Minor: Dark Flier, Immortal, Boxer (Pugilist), Exploitive, Swordmaster, Angry Cinnamon Roll, Tripping, Perpetual Cheer, Chef, Blacksmith, Pegasus Knight, Teacher, Librarian, Masochist, Literal-Minded, Authoritative, Middle Age, Wyvern Rider.**

 **Standard: Elemental, Deaf, Foreign, Future sight, Tiny, Nurse/Medic, Valmese Tactician, Medusa, Amazon, Genderfluid, Gift from Validar + evil to good, Mind Control, Banshee, Bard, Dancer, Mimic, Emotionless, Crippling Overspecialization (Idiot Savant), Coward, ESP, POW, PTSD, Magician, Mute, Savage, Handicapped, Secret Helper, Crazy, MPD, Morpher, Dreamwalker, Motherly, Lich, Twins, Regenerating, Animal Whisperer (horse/wyvern), Naga/Tiki Assistant, Sleepless, Plant, Fairy, Deadly Touch, Mind Reader, Doppelganger, Arachne, D &D magic, Umbramancer.**

 **Unlikely: Chrom's child, Minotaur, Paladin, Werewolf, Assassin, Future Soldier, Bounty Hunter, Weather control, Kleptomaniac, Druid, Steampunk, Shadow Familiar, Magic Augmentation, Lucky, Exile, Piper (Charmer), Gladiator, Witch Doctor, Centaur, Drunk, Demon, Punk, Harpy, Revenant, Luck Manipulation, Demon Summoner, Megalomaniac, Kitsune, King of Plegia, Mood Ring, Reverse Aging, Hammerspace, Prostitute, Demon Hunter, Cyborg, Maid/Servant/Butler, Deadlord, Rebellion, Einherjar, Trap, Yandere, Living Weapon, Size Shifter, Queen of Plegia, Gluttonous, Stretchy, Ninja, Alchemist, Protoss, Spirit Manipulation, Invisible, Plegian Honor Guard, Mecha, Kryptonian, Creator, Orc, Memory Stealing Respawn, Racer, Khan, Elder God, Misfortune, Vampire Hunter, Geokinetic, Imaginary Actualization, Death, Resurrection, Arachne.**

 **Other: Pokemon Trainer, Self-insert, Second Generation replacement, Dimensional Walker, Cycle, Fates.**

 **Respawn Robin requested by SirHaloFan, though I doubt this is exactly what he had in mind. Guess what the original idea for this chapter was (aside from Respawn). I don't think I was very subtle.**

* * *

"Ya know, I probably should have put together what you were doing earlier." Henry says conversationally. "I knew you had some sort of time magic for a while. You _reeked_ of it during big battles, like a walking corpse!"

The other man, with off-peach skin and greasy black hair, gives the dark mage an unnatural grin. His mouth seems to stretch and break the structure with his face as the smile grows wider and wider. His hands are hidden beneath his longcoat, and Henry expects he's gripping his levin sword.

"The fact that our buddies actually _died_ should have been a giveaway." The dark mage continues. "Sure, maybe in a big battle even you couldn't save someone, but Miriel dying of an accident on the road? There's no way you couldn't have stopped that."

"But you never said anything~" The man coos.

"How _could_ I say anything? No one else would ever see you do something wrong, you would just go back in time." Henry huffs. "They'd think I'm crazy! Well, _more_ crazy."

"And now you're the only one left." The tactician breathes. "I have to give you credit, I killed Chrom, I killed _Grima_ , before I managed to corner you."

"You didn't kill Grima on your own though." Henry mocks. "Chrom had to bail you out."

The man's face falls into a brief frown. "So you know what this is all about. The day ended before I could kill myself to force a respawn and fight Grima myself. Still, I can always full restart to kill Grima again after this is all over."

"Well, I had a guess as to what this all was. You want to kill everyone yourself." Henry hums. His eyes flick the chandelier hanging in the air between them. The Ylissian castle is abandoned, with all the inhabitants dead at Robin's hands, but the structure itself is still intact.

"Exactly!" Robin laughs. "How else do I prove I'm a master tactician?"

"To who?"

"To myself of course! If I'm the best, I don't need to answer to someone else." The man scoffs. "Not Chrom, not Naga, and certainly not _you_."

"Nyahaha... well that's pointless!" Henry chirps. "Good on you for having a goal, but come on, _that's_ what you chose to do to prove yourself? Killing people? Don't get me wrong, that's fun and all, but it's not _hard_."

The black-haired man scowls. "I don't care what _you_ think."

"Really? 'Cause it seems you care a whole lot about convincing me." Henry shoots back.

Robin's face darkens, and he finally pulls out his levin sword. "I've had enough of this. It's time you died so I can move on. There are still other continents that need exterminating."

"No sneak attack? I'm surprised." Henry laughs. He takes his tome out from his cloak. It's a thick black book with old runes scribbled along the pages. "What's special about me that wasn't about Chrom?"

"It would seem you're my final challenge here. It would be underwhelming to kill you in some back alley from a hundred feet away. I want a satisfying fight." Robin says. "For the record, I was originally planning to make Chrom my last target, but you proved slippery… I thought when I killed that damned bird of yours you'd come out, but you didn't."

"Ahh Fog…" Henry hums. He strokes the single black feather tangled in his hair. He put it there as a momento. "She knew what she was getting into when she offered to spy on you. I owe her my life so many times over..."

"You put your life in the hand of a _bird_."

"And it worked, because _you_ aren't as good as you want to think you are." Henry mocks. "You had to try a dozen times to kill Walhart on your own, didn't you? Priam took even more than that! You only win because you come back to life and memorize things, not because you're _skilled_."

That's all Robin is going to put up with. He lunges forwards with a snarl on his face and electricity crackling on his sword.

Henry calmly raises his arm and shoots a thin beam of dark magic at the ceiling. The dark mage smiles in amusement as the chandelier comes crashing down on Robin's head, impaling his skull with the metal spike on the bottom.

###

"Nyahaha, I killed you once already huh?" The dark mage says in way of greeting the second time. "Nice, how'd I do it?"

"Chandelier." Robin growls. "Don't pretend you don't remember."

"I don't. I can see time magic so I know how many times it's been rewound, but it's not like I remember what happened." Henry shrugs.

"I won't die again."

"Sure you won't. I bet that's what you told yourself when you fought Priam the second time, right?"

Robin's face contorts into an ugly snarl. He doesn't bother with a warning this time and rips his sword from his hip and sends a bolt of lightning flying at the dark mage. The boy sidesteps the attack with little visible effort and draws his own tome.

The tactician is careful to avoid the chandelier this time and instead runs at the man along the side of the room. Henry lobs a few lazy shots at him, but otherwise doesn't put up much of a fight. He still avoids Robin's attacks but his own in return have no effort behind them.

Even when Robin gets into melee range Henry still doesn't seem to be trying. The tactician hacks and slashes wildly but the dark mage bobs, weaves, and jumps over his strikes with apparent ease.

"Did I tell you killing was easy last time?" Henry asks casually. He leans back to avoid a swipe at his head.

"Yes." Robin grunts in frustration. "And no matter what you say, it _is_ a legitimate way to prove my superiority!"

"Sure sure… but if it's easy, and you've had tons of experience at it by now, why are you still so _bad_ at it?" The dark mage prods.

The black-haired man snarls in anger and swings as fast and hard as he can. The attack goes wide, with Henry effortlessly ducking under it. Robin follows through far too much with the attack, and by consequence he has no change of blocking or avoiding the sudden counter Henry makes.

Black magic courses over Robin's body as Henry grabs the man's throat. The telltale numbing of Nosferatu takes over his senses, and within less than a dozen seconds Robin is a lifeless husk in Henry's grasp.

###

"Two down! Many more to go!" Henry chirps. "Hope you're stubborn, because this still feels like my first time! I'm _always_ gonna determined!"

Robin doesn't bother talking this time. He charges headlong before the mage even finishes speaking. The sudden blast of dark magic in his face is unexpected and fatal.

It's his quickest, most pathetic death yet.

###

"Three and counting~!"

"How are you killing me in one strike!? Even Grima couldn't do that!"

"Hey, I wasn't feared as the most powerful dark mage in Plegia for no reason." Henry chuckles. "No one could beat me, and by the looks of things that's still true!"

The tactician snarls, but doesn't get baited into a charge this time. He pulls out his sword, again, and settles for a much more patient battle plan this time. Just sit back and shoot, don't run in and get killed.

He gets killed anyways. Henry eventually gets bored of being shot at and swamps the entire room in black magic in less than a second, draining Robin swiftly but painfully.

###

"Four!"

###

"Five!"

###

"Ten!"

###

"Twenty~!" Henry says in a sing-song voice. "Wow, you're having a rough time aren't you?"

"Fuck you."

"Nyahaha, no thanks!"

"I _will_ beat you! You are my last challenge, and I won't be stopped by some bird-loving, false happy freak!" The man snaps. All pretenses to composure are totally gone.

"Aww, come on. Do you want to see me moping over a lack of close friends, family, or any significant relationship outside of animals? Or maybe you'd prefer I whine about not being able to understand people at _all_?"

Henry leans forwards. He's still smiling, technically, but it seems even less genuine than usual.

"Do you _really_ want to see that?" The dark mage whispers. "I keep a pretty tight leash on myself, and you're already struggling as is. Do you _really_ want me to stop hiding?"

"Go ahead, you'll forget about all of this when I respawn." Robin huffs.

"It's funny how you think I care what you say." Henry laughs. He rears back, summoning a truly monstrous storm of magic above his head. The ceiling breaks apart and the chandelier falls, and paintings are ripped from the walls as they're all sucked into the vortex of dark power. Robin is forced to grab onto a pillar to stop himself from being pulled in, but it's rendered pointless a moment later when Henry shouts "have some death!" and _throws_ the storm at him.

###

"Fifty. Aren't you getting tired of this? I mean, _I'm_ still fine, I don't remember those times, but you must be boooored." The mage cackles. "I mean, come on, how many times do you have to get violently murdered by your friendly best friend the friendly dark mage before you give up?"

"There's nothing friendly about you." Robin grumbles.

"Nyahaha… not anymore maybe. Not that you'd know, you never really bothered to learn about me or any of the Shepherds."

"Like you know them any better."

"Yeah, that's because I'm a wolf-raised, barely human, blood loving maniac who's at least _tried_ to understand them. What's _your_ excuse?"

"I have to prove I'm a master tactician."

"By _killing_ people? That doesn't prove you know strategy." Henry scoffs. "By that logic, I could be five times the tactician you could ever hope to be!"

"What then, how do I prove I'm a master tactician?" Robin huffs.

"By doing something hard. Killing is easy!"

"You say that like you have an idea."

"I do!"

"What?"

"Make friends with _everyone_ , learn _everything_ you can about them. Now _that's_ hard." Henry laughs. "I would know! I didn't even have _one_ close friend during my entire time with the Shepherds!"

"That's because you're creepy as hell."

"Thanks!"

"That's not a compliment."

"Close enough!"

"It's really not…"

"Sooo, you gonna restart?"

"And waste all my hard work?"

"Hard? You killed people. That's-"

"Easy according to _you_. But you're the most powerful dark mage in Plegia!"

"Flattery won't work at this point Robin. Everyone's still dead."

"And here I thought you _liked_ death."

"It's cool and all. But too much of a good thing ruins the fun."

"For future reference, what's 'too much'?"

"When you kill our teammates instead of the bad guys."

###

Seventy. The chandelier got him _again_. He'd forgotten about that.

Robin wakes up again at the beginning of the day in Chrom's bed. He really is tired of this. Frustration wore into exhaustion well before the fiftieth try, much less the seventieth.

Henry's words still ring in his mind. Is he really proving his skill by killing everyone? Shouldn't he be doing something more difficult? Learning about others is boring though, no one can be as interesting as himself after all.

Still, Henry has a point. Learning everything about everyone truly would be an endeavor worthy of his greatness… but it would take so _long_ , and he wouldn't get the satisfaction of finally beating Henry.

But, if he thinks about it, not being able to beat Henry is a small price to pay. Besides, Henry _did_ give him a new idea. It's only fitting he be _rewarded_ for his service by not being killed. Robin isn't giving up, he's _graciously_ allowing Henry to live.

Yes, that's what he's doing. It's unfortunate Henry won't remember this and be able to be impressed by his awesomeness when he inevitably learns everything about everyone, but that's only a minor gripe. At least he'll know how great he is, it doesn't really matter if Henry doesn't. Why should he have to prove himself to anyone but himself after all? He's a master tactician, people will _naturally_ look up for him.

Yes, of course. Clearly he's superior. He's doing this as a personal challenge, not out of a need to _prove_ anything to someone else.

Closing his eyes, Robin draws on his time magic. Most of his powers act on their own, but the tactician has control of a single power. He can reset his entire life back to the point of waking up in that field, albeit keeping the memories of the timelines he's reset from.

A reset only takes a few minutes, but he's erasing years of work. This challenge is stupid though, why bother killing people to show his superiority? _Clearly_ knowing everything there is to know about everyone around him is a better show of power, and he's manage it just fine because he's a master tactician.

With a self-satisfied smirk, Robin channels his power into the world around him. Time breaks and shatters, and then reassembles itself to his will back to that fateful point years ago…

* * *

 **This is a strange chapter. I don't know if it's good, terrible, or just mediocre.**

 **I just figured I'd get this off my chest and throw this out there: I'm greedy, I love being able to see how people react to my work (even if the reaction is negative! I usually can't tell a good chapter from a bad one until I see the reviews). I live for** _ **comments**_ **, requests are just a side-benefit… and I'm frustrated at seeing mostly requests in the reviews with few comments ( I can stand a chapter getting no reviews at all, that just means it's a bad chapter, but it's kinda insulting to get reviews on a chapter just for** _ **all of them**_ **to be requests and no actual comments on the chapter itself. See chapter 36 reviews as an example).**

 **No offense to the people who request! I know you're just enthusiastic, and I won't ask you to change what you're doing... but if you have a comment about the chapter at least** _ **consider**_ **speaking up. Requests are ideas, and I appreciate them, but they're not** _ **motivating**_ **. Comments, feedback, praise, and even constructive criticism are what make this collection worth writing for me.**

 **I'm an artist: it's nice to get more orders because I know people like what I'm making because of it, but actually having a reader say outright "I like your what you've done with X" is infinitely more rewarding and motivating.**

 **So yeah. Carry on what you were doing. This collection isn't going away anytime soon, but if you have an actual comment don't be shy. I really do appreciate them.**

* * *

 **CorEagle** **:** Mechanic might be hard to fit into the setting of Fire Emblem, same goes for Science, Geomancer is fine, Actualization is absurdly OP but a viable suggestion, Death is a good one, and I have no idea what you mean by the last one.

 **Darkness is complete** **:** Maybe I forgot to mention it, but I did put it up on the list. Umbramancer is there. Resurrection will go under unlikely.

 **Guest (X2)** **:** No, no, no, maybe, no, maybe, maybe, already done Risen + that's not too different + I don't do ideas twice in this collection, no.

Appreciate the ideas though! Most just don't work well for this collection.

 **DarkZilla454 : **I'll put it on the list.


	40. Short Epilogues (1-39)

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **Minor: Dark Flier, Immortal, Boxer (Pugilist), Exploitive, Swordmaster, Angry Cinnamon Roll, Tripping, Perpetual Cheer, Chef, Blacksmith, Pegasus Knight, Teacher, Librarian, Masochist, Literal-Minded, Authoritative, Middle Age, Wyvern Rider, Aromantic.**

 **Standard: Elemental, Deaf, Foreign, Future sight, Tiny, Nurse/Medic, Valmese Tactician, Medusa, Amazon, Genderfluid, Gift from Validar + evil to good, Mind Control, Banshee, Bard, Dancer, Mimic, Emotionless, Crippling Overspecialization (Idiot Savant), Coward, ESP, POW, PTSD, Magician, Mute, Savage, Handicapped, Secret Helper, Crazy, MPD, Morpher, Dreamwalker, Motherly, Lich, Twins, Regenerating, Animal Whisperer, Naga/Tiki Assistant, Sleepless, Plant, Fairy, Deadly Touch, Mind Reader, Doppelganger, Arachne, D &D magic, Umbramancer, Historian.**

 **Unlikely: Chrom's child, Minotaur, Paladin, Werewolf, Assassin, Future Soldier, Bounty Hunter, Weather control, Kleptomaniac, Druid, Steampunk, Shadow Familiar, Magic Augmentation, Lucky, Exile, Piper (Charmer), Gladiator, Witch Doctor, Centaur, Drunk, Demon, Punk, Harpy, Revenant, Luck Manipulation, Demon Summoner, Megalomaniac, Kitsune, King of Plegia, Mood Ring, Reverse Aging, Hammerspace, Prostitute, Demon Hunter, Cyborg, Maid/Servant/Butler, Deadlord, Rebellion, Einherjar, Trap, Yandere, Living Weapon, Size Shifter, Queen of Plegia, Gluttonous, Stretchy, Ninja, Alchemist, Protoss, Spirit Manipulation, Invisible, Plegian Honor Guard, Mecha, Kryptonian, Creator, Orc, Memory Stealing Respawn, Racer, Khan, Elder God, Misfortune, Vampire Hunter, Geokinetic, Imaginary Actualization, Death, Resurrection, Arachne, Force, Merchant, Background Music, Variable.**

 **Other: Pokemon Trainer, Self-insert, Second Generation replacement, Dimensional Walker, Cycle, Fates.**

 **Okay, I've been hanging onto this one for a while. Suggested by Vanderspiegel: shot continuations of other chapters as a sort of special treat. If you've skipped some chapters, than you're going to have to skip some of these continuations or you'll have absolutely no context.**

 **These will mostly be in the form of short epilogues, not scenes like I usually do.**

* * *

Statseer

Grima arose despite the best efforts of the Shepherds and Robin decimating both Validar and Aversa in single combat. However, when the tactician realized that the Fell Dragon had only _forty_ magic the final fight ended up being rather trivial. Rally Spectrum, Ward Staff buffs, and the two Falchions made quick work of the so-called god.

After the war Robin settled contentedly into his role as chief military advisor of Ylisse, but was known to frequently go on missions, even relatively unimportant ones, so his ability to see statistics could be put to some use as the ability was rather useless outside of combat.

Robin of the Pact

Historians were long baffled by the sudden appearance of the famous tactician "Robin" in the records of Ylissian history. The girl sprang from nowhere and after the death of her husband, the Exalt Chrom, she vanished from records entirely.

It wasn't until the finding of an old journal hidden away in a forgotten chest along with a few other belongings of Exalt Chrom that the truth was revealed. Robin was a pact demon, though it would seem a rather benevolent one. Nowadays historians theorize that this knowledge was a secret between Robin and the Exalt, and the blanket memory modifications Robin enacted upon her summoning were never lifted. It is additionally theorized that the death of her summoner was the reason for Robin's sudden disappearance, as demonic entities are held in this world by their contracts and when the Exalt died the contract probably died with him.

Risen

Many know the immortal Robin Lowell today as the host of his webshows "Strategy, Plans, and Bullshit" where he picks apart tactics used in popular media, and "Knowing is Half the Battle" where he explains strategies for different board and video games including Chess, Shogi, Starcraft III, and Fire Emblem: the Flickering Dark.

However, the his history extends far into the past, including into the time period the later Fire Emblem are based on. He was instrumental in the development of those games as he lived through many of the events himself. When interviewed, the man revealed lead us through a magical retelling of his life, starting with the events we would recognize as the story of Fire Emblem Awakening, his friendship with Exalt Chrom, his happy marriage to Lissandra Lowell, and so much more.

Get the full story in hardback of audiobook, only fifty-nine ninety-nine dollars for over a thousand pages of backstory!

Mirroreye

Robin's ability to read minds proved incredibly useful through her entire life. Aside from being a fantastic diplomat, Robin Lowell also had a reputation as an effective counselor, and her marriage was notable for having very few issues (in no small part due to her husband being unable to hide anything from her, but also from Robin being very open and honest herself).

Queen Robin was responsible in large part for the reform of Gangrel some years after the defeat of Grima, as well as the softening in attitude Walhart underwent after the Valmese/Archanean war.

Neither of her children inherited her strange mirrored eyes or ability to read minds. Some historians theorize Robin's powers were obtained through a ritual performed before her memory was erased.

Stringcutter

The thing most people tend to remember about Robin Vastatio is the weapon he was associated with: Stringcutter. The weapon has had many wielders over the generations, but none aside from the original wielder have been able to use it's potential better than Robin.

The sacrifice of Robin to defeat Grima marked the first, and only, time Stringcutter showed parasitic and soul-binding abilities. It latched onto Robin's soul and dragged it back to his body, giving up its own form for the duration of Robin's life.

Robin's death also marked the first time this weapon passed on to next of kin rather than teleporting away to a new owner. Morgan did not bring out any new potential in the weapon, but is still notable for being one of the rare users of the Halberd form.

Succubus

While Exalt Emmeryn was the one to allowed exiled races back into Ylisse, it was Exalt Chrom and Queen Robin that made them publicly accepted. Succubi were and still are one of the most powerful and dangerous races on Earth, but Queen Robin stepping into the public eye greatly softened the Ylissian citizens' attitudes towards the race that the Church of Naga espoused for the longest time as the single greatest threat to human kind.

Queen Robin was also the first succubus willing to allow serious study by a scientist. In this case it was the Shepherds' head mage, Miriel, who conducted a thorough study of the queen's abilities which is still the basis of our understanding today.

The queen's extreme self-repression, which is to say she hid as much of her body as possible and rarely spoke, was emulated by her daughters and granddaughters for generations as a way to stop their passive attraction abilities from affecting others. Nowadays this is thought to be a bit extreme, but at the time this sort of restriction was necessary when the majority of the general public was still wary of succubi.

Despite her self-repression in public, evidence suggests the queen was much more relaxed in private and made much more liberal use of certain powers like energy gifting or forcing relaxation, which is possibly the reason for King Chrom's rare hyperactive or dazed episodes when said powers were overused to counteract exhaustion and stress respectively.

ROBIN

The ROBIN and MORGAN models were important milestones in the development of automaton technology. Where Nohrian Stoneborn creation has only be recently rediscovered (and the lastest known use of the technology is in the creation of "Revenant" and "Entombed" Risen), Hoshidan automatons developed slowly over the course of Ylisse's history, and are notable for being the first country to develop automatons that had a semblance of sentience (ROBIN being the first model that can be solidly argued to have such a thing).

ROBIN is also notable for being the guardian and tactical advisor to the Exalted bloodline for many years after his creation and many years after the death of both his creator and King Chrom. ROBIN served the next exalt, Lucina the Younger, just as faithfully as he had her predecessor. MORGAN, on the other hand, travelled the world, and is thought to have held an entire encyclopedia worth of information in her magic databanks (the change to computer memory came in the modern era, hundreds of years after MORGAN's creation).

Both ROBIN and MORGAN would eventually be destroyed in battle defending Ylisse during the attempted conquest of Archanea by the Clarlup Empire. Their remains are currently undergoing study and reconstruction by scientists.

Hairweaver

Robin was known her entire life for her flirtatious behaviour but also her shrewd mind. Together with Princess Lissandra she threw lavish parties both within Ylisse and between countries; this served the twofold purpose of easing tensions but also allowing Robin, who never drank, to extract information from the drunk guests.

Out of the royal couple, Robin was easily the more suited for court intrigue and the general runnings of state. Her pleasant demeanor, persistence, and sharp mind were perfect traits for a ruler, and while Chrom was the face of the country Robin was thought to have managed the majority of the internal workings of the economy, lawmaking, and military affairs.

Both Robin and Chrom were known to be in a constant cycle of forcing the other to relax through their entire lives, as they were both prone to overworking themselves.

Timesnap

Robin survived the death of Grima, though his stopwatch no longer functioned. He passed the artifact on to Morgan when she was born, at which point the stopwatch starting working again.

Anna proposed not long after his revival and the two settled down on the Ylisse/Plegia border, owning a small shop and taking out the bandits that frequently bothered the border pass. This small shop, quite a distance from surrounding villages, eventually bloomed into a village owned mostly by the couple. They owned the shops, the inn, and the bar, as well as being the leaders of the town.

Anna's more unscrupulous ways were reformed during this expansion period, but her shrewd business sense was instrumental in the financial boom their village underwent over the next few decades. Any of her sisters passing through would comment on how unusually the prices for food were… and would almost instantly shout in indignation at the outrageous fee for the inn. Anna's running theory served her well: merchants have some money to spend, villagers don't. So keep the food and ale cheap but the inn expensive.

Robin was never quite as skilled at business as his wife, but his skill with tactics was useful in the training of the village guard and planning the layout of the buildings. When bandits became unruly along the trade route, he would join Gregor, Sully, and Henry in exterminating them.

Impulse

Robin never stopped shaping the world around her. The sheer force of the Ylissian queen's personality lead to massive changes in the country's policies, and thorough dismembering of the racist and old-fashioned council that surrounded the royal family for centuries before. Ylisse once again became a military powerhouse under her leadership, though in a much less aggressive fashion than that of Exalt Lucius only a twenty years beforehand.

Over the next few decades Ylisse became unofficial peacekeepers for the world around them, and their firm policy of unshifting borders lead to a gradual decrease in expansionism in the years to follow and altogether less violent interactions between kingdoms as inter-kingdom competition shifted from war to economics and politics. Robin, with her force of personality, dominated the new landscape just as easily as the war-ridden one that came before.

Exalted

Chaos followed the assassination attempt on Emmeryn's life, especially so for Robin who suddenly had a fifteen year old daughter to deal with. The ensuing war to put Gangrel back on the Plegian throne was a brutal one thanks to Ylisse's pathetically small and under-trained military, and Ferox's reinforcements were key to ending Plegia's leader: a lady by name Aversa.

With Gangrel back on the throne and quelling the religious uprising, Ylisse and Plegia lapsed into uneasy peace. The people on both sides were livid, calling for blood, but Emmeryn and Gangrel refused to give in and ruin what little stability the two kingdoms had. Robin, for his part, spent most of his time with his daughter undoing the brainwashing Validar had done.

Conveniently, Morgan "forgot" who her mother was up until after her father got married, upon which point she revealed she'd known who her mother was all along and hadn't revealed it so her father wouldn't feel pressured. Robin was not amused, but reluctantly admitted it was probably for the best. Tharja was just disappointed Morgan didn't say anything so she and Robin could have gotten married _sooner_.

Manakete

Robin, despite her transformation abilities, was not a true manakete, and after the death of Grima she lost her powers and began aging normally. Only a few remnants of her former abilities remained, including the four extra eyes and her oddly young appearance lasting well into her sixties before she finally starting showing signs of age.

Losing her dragon form ruined Robin's combat potential. She was still a fantastic tactician, but not having her primary means of fighting made it much more dangerous for her to stand near the front lines. Thankfully there were no wars during her and Chrom's rule, but it took several years for her to be deemed competent enough with a sword to join the Shepherds on an occasional bandit elimination.

As a ruler Robin was known most for her patronage of the arts, especially plays and dances. Olivia even taught Robin to dance and act so the queen could partake in the shows she so loved to see.

Supermagic

It's hard to say if Robin was disappointed or not when the second war broke out. On one had it was brutal and horrible, but on the other hand it gave him an opportunity to use his skills to their fullest once more.

Several battles were trivialized by Robin's destructive power as he could eliminate entire squads from a distance. Robin was also responsible for the damage caused to the Mila tree's lower branches during the Shepherds' assault to take it from Cervantes.

Despite Chrom's best efforts, the tactician's hobbies remained limited to reading, gaming with Virion, and babysitting the Shepherds' various children. It would not be until well after Grima's fall that Robin got married himself, and it took a few years more for his wife, Cherche, to get him to stop planning for another war and actually enjoy his life.

Autistic

Thankfully, with Emmeryn remaining Exalt for a good long while, Robin seldom had to deal with going to council after the end of the Grima crisis. Her military expertise was unneeded for the rest of her life, and she settled into being a professional chess player while also teaching tactics in the Ylissian military for future generations.

Robin continued with Miriel's programs over the course of her life, attempting to reduce the severity of her natural reactions. None were eliminated completely, but repeated exposure (as unpleasant as it was) helped to make some of her more drastic aversions manageable as her body adapted itself.

It was hard to say what her reaction to neither of her children sharing her quirks. She claimed to be happy that they wouldn't have to deal with the various sensitivities she did, but Chrom always suspected his wife wished one of her children could relate to her situation.

Necromancer

Robin's ability to control Risen proved instrumental in the defeat of Grima. However it was not without issue; Grima's own control was significantly stronger than his and as such the tactician found his own influence limited to his immediate area, and had to stay with his army at all times.

Emmeryn didn't fight in the wars, though she relaxed her policies on demobilization to allow for a stronger force to fight Walhart and later Grima. Robin was known to send gifts back to her from the few stops he had as the Shepherds travelled Valm, such as some choice teas from Chon'sin and some Valmese jewelry.

Having such a dangerous man as their king did not sit well with the people of Ylisse, and long after Grima's defeat they were wary of Robin (in no small part due to the undead army that still dwelled in the palace's lower levels under Robin's control).

With Morgan not having any control over Risen like her father, Robin had to put down his army near the end of his life.

Giantess

After the defeat of Grima Robin searches Archanea and Valm for other giants, but she finds none. For whatever reason she is the last of her kind or, if Miriel is correct, she was infused with magic as in infant to change her to resemble the long-dead species.

Morgan and Lucina don't quite have their mother's size, and Miriel identifies them as half-giants. When fully grown they stand at about nine feet tall, which is admittedly still small compared to their mother's fourteen.

Being a giant did not affect Robin too much over the course of her life, despite not being able to fit into most buildings. Anything she wished to could be brought to the palace just as easily, though she never did find someone she could spar with without accidentally breaking some bones.

Ghost

Legends tell of a tactician's ghost that dwelled in the Exalted family line, lending advice to the youth of the family and changing hosts to the next generation when his current host had children of their own. There are also tales of other wars where historians assume the ghost took part, as tales of a young prince or princess sporting spectral garb to deflect arrows or attaining sudden competence with combat magic are not infrequent in Ylissian history.

There is much speculation as to if the ghost is still present in the world after the abolishment of the Exalted monarchy. Some historians suggest that the ghost died with his last host, and others claim that it found a new line of rulers to inhabit. Others still suggest that the ghost lives in the world with us now, perhaps still guiding young souls to be the best they can, noble birth or otherwise. The lack of outright wars in this era perhaps makes his military skills unnecessary.

Replicate

Robin continued to use her powers through her entire life to bug her husband (who took several years to propose, and never quite got over his self-repression), but found more practical use for her clones in attending multiple meetings at once and acting as a quick message system on the battlefield.

Grima, sharing her abilities, was a tremendous hassle to fight as the Fell Dragon had specialized each of her clones to do something different like heal, use magic, or sword fight. In fact there are still theories today that one clone, separated from the rest, still survives to this day planning her return.

Lucina, unlike Morgan, did not inherit her mother's powers. The tactician was always worried about Lucina not feeling like her true daughter, but the girl was perfectly content with _not_ having the mental confusion her brother did early in life when managing several bodies at once.

Grimleal

Chrom and Robin worked together to dismember the Grimleal base of power in Plegia, and managed to stop the rise of Grima all-together. After the Valmese war the two would visit each others' country frequently, and Robin would be an unofficial member of the Shepherds.

The tactician would remain a faithful courtier to Gangrel for his entire life, and would be rewarded with control over the Plegian/Ylissian border after the death of the former governor. He married a Feroxi soldier by the name of Narna he met during the valmese war.

The Shepherds would be the ones to find Morgan randomly strolling around Ylisse just after the conclusion of the Valmese war. The girl thought she was being kidnapped, and it took a solid ten minutes to stop her shooting lightning at them.

Anomaly

Much debate is had as to the nature and fate of Robin. Historians are unsure as to if she was a statue brought to life, a lady with an unfortunate curse, or an otherwise unknown species. After the end of Prince Chrom's life Robin disappeared entirely. Some claim she went back to Plegia, some claim she died, some claim that her powers turned against her and that she was captured and transported somewhere unknown.

There is little else to be said of this individual. Her life, whatever it may have been, is shrouded in mystery.

Taguel

Robin never married, much to the chagrin of Panne who would have liked more taguel to repopulate their species rather than just her own children. Robin spent lots of time after the death of Grima continuing to play with the Shepherds' children, and eventually settled into helping Libra at his orphanage.

The tactician did adopt twins from the orphanage, named Morgan and Marc, whom he taught his skills and both would become master tacticians in their own right later in their lives. Robin would also teach classes to all the children in the orphanage on math and sports.

Panne never did convince him to care about tradition, and Libra suffered similarly in trying to get Robin to respect religion whatsoever.

Grima

To say Grima was ever "redeemed" is questionable, but there was certainly an improvement in her disposition thanks to her time spent with the Shepherds. She vanished after the death of her counterpart though, never to be heard of again.

Years later, a boy by the name of Morgan (who would go by the name Marc up until the very end of his time with the group) would join the hero Lyndis in her quest to reach Caelin, and subsequently join her in her adventures. The boy, a master tactician and possessing incredible dark magic powers, was known to be secretive about his past but would mention draconic heritage to Lyndis and had an odd purple mark on the back of his neck which leads historians to believe he was related to Grima.

Vampire

After the integration of Robin into the Lowell family line, there was a consistent streak of Vampirism in the family. Many of the Exalts from then on were dhampirs (half human, half vampire), and while there was only one or two full-blooded vampires at a time (as turning into a vampire requires a very specific ritual or the breeding of two full-blooded vampires) usually a child of a vampire (and therefore a dhampir already) would volunteer to undergo the transformation to continue on their parent's legacy.

Lissa would never become a vampire, and neither would Owain (despite how enamored he was with the idea, he ultimately decided the blood thirst and light-aversion was too high a price). It was Morgan who would undergo the transformation when she became an adult and carry on her father's legacy.

Robin would also never quite become comfortable with feeding on his wife, despite her insistence that she was fine with it.

Captain

Robin and her crew helped the Shepherds all throughout the East Archanea/Plegia war, as well as the Archanea/Valm war that followed. They provided valuable coastal defence against pirates, and were instrumental in repelling the Valmese vanguard ships.

Her ship would eventually be destroyed in the battle of Port Noct by a Risen-infested Plegian galleon. She and her crew would join the Shepherds on land for the remainder of the battle against Grima, and were known to wheel around Communication as a form of field artillery.

The captain refused to allow her pistol to be mass produced, precisely because of its power. It would be a few centuries before the secrets of black powder were rediscovered.

Spy

Robin's skills as a spy would come in useful during the Valmese war. Alongside Gaius he infiltrated Walhart's main fortress, and relayed intell to Chrom and the Shepherds via Henry's crows. The two would go on to assassinate Excellus halfway through the war and convert Priam to their cause.

Robin would lose an arm to Walhart during the last stages of the war when the conqueror finally discovered who it was betraying him. Robin would receive a prosthetic with an attachable crossbow to allow him to continue fighting.

The spy and Sumia would eventually marry after the death of Grima, being the last of the Shepherds to tie the knot. Cynthia was relieved to not have to hide who her father was anymore.

Houndmaster

As sudden as their engagement was, Chrom and Robin's relationship was well-received. Emmeryn would gently poke fun at her brother for doing all of this under her nose and after only a few months of knowing Robin, but was supportive of their decision.

Robin's blindness would prove problematic later in the Ylisse/Plegia war as her inability to sense flying units made combat with enemy fliers very dangerous for her. She relegated herself to fort-busting, where the hallways were too tight for fliers of any sort and her sweeping strikes with her spiked shields could be most useful.

Eda and Lula would pass away during the two-year break between the Plegian and Valmese wars, not from injuries but from old age as Robin assumed they'd been by her side since she was young. The dogs did, however, sire their successors at the start of that two year period. Sola and Umbra would serve Robin just as faithfully as their parents had.

Arranged Marriage

It took a long time for Robin to become comfortable around Emmeryn, and even longer for his mindset to finally change. Even with a changed mindset, Robin was known his entire life for being exceedingly slow to trust.

With his wife, Emmeryn, the two would make great progress towards peace between Plegia and Ylisse, and successfully prevented another war between the two countries. Their efforts at diplomacy would sadly fail against Valm, and Robin and his retainers would join the Shepherds in their assault against the conqueror.

There were many questions as to how succession should work upon the discovery of Morgan. It was eventually agreed that the girl would be considered a distant relative for the sake of succession, which Morgan was fine with as she had no interest in ruling.

Angel

Robin would unlock a few more of her angelic abilities over the course of the wars, including the ability to temporarily enchant her weapon. She took great joy in smiting her opponents with a flaming Levin Sword.

Robin eventually discovered other ways to relieve her stress _aside_ from adult activities, but would prefer them for a good long while. Her husband happily indulged her whims, but would jokingly (and sometimes not so jokingly) complain of the exhaustion he suffered due to Robin's stamina.

Morgan, upon discovering the story of his parent's courtship from a sneaky Gaius, thought the whole story was hilarious. Gaius got a full month of cleaning out the stables for revealing such a thing.

Gambler

Robin and Nowi Tealeaf would buy a house in Ylisstol after the war, though it was seldom used for the first several years due to Nowi wanting to travel the world looking for other Manaketes. After their return, Robin saved up enough money to open his casino and became fabulously rich. For her part, Nowi got into acting and starred in several prominent plays of the time.

The tactician, aside from owning his casino, also helped the Exalt in politics, as his ability to enforce deals, even if he didn't use it, was often more than enough to keep people in line.

After his death Morgan would take over the casino, and with her sharp business sense would expand it into a full-on resort. Nowi continued her acting career long after her husband and eventually her daughter passed away, and is still known to frequent Ylisstol in modern times.

Lamia

Robin served during both wars of her time, and settled in Ylisstol after the death of Grima. She and her new husband, Stahl, worked in the Ylissian military for most of their lives. They enjoyed being sent away from home as it meant a perfect excuse to try the cuisine of other places.

Stahl never developed a talent for tactics despite Robin's best efforts to teach him. The lamia fared much better in picking up her husband's trade and became a halfway decent apothecary over the course of her life.

As per the strange sexual dimorphism of Lamias Morgan did not inherit his mother's traits and was fully human. He was, however, proficient with a harpoon.

Consistent Amnesia

Robin's memory improved drastically over the next few years. It was still a long time, a full decade in fact, before his memory could be said to be back to the human norm. Miriel patiently documented and aided the process all the way to completion.

Despite his memory issues, Robin served a function during the Plegian war. He aided Philia and the other generals in planning troop movements, and his tactician genius was enough that a thorough summary at the start of the day was enough for him to be able to put his skills to use.

During the Valmese war Robin served with the Shepherds on the frontlines. His memory had improved enough to remember important details of the day before, like troop movements, which made him exponentially better at developing tactics on the fly.

After the death of Grima, Robin would stay at Miriel's house so that their studies into his memory loss could continue without taking up space in the castle. Their marriage, despite being a decade in the making when it was announced, surprised no one.

Alien

Understanding empathy was not easy for Robin. To her empathy seemed to go against logic, but she strived to learn it anyways. As was fitting for her highly adaptive mentality, she grasped the idea within a few months of study and practice.

Knowing her former mindset, Chrom was wary of his tactician for a good long while. He was not so quick to believe her sociopathic tendencies would just disappear… and he was right. While Robin learned empathy, she was still an incredibly selfish being, and it would take years for her to be truly able to be called pleasant, or anything resembling kind by anyone but Chrom (whom she still maintained a facade of sensual friendliness towards right up until it became genuine).

It would eventually be Emmeryn who would convince Chrom, after _years_ of distrust, that Robin had finally changed and that her politeness was genuine.

Bow Knight

Virion and Robin's marriage was surprisingly solid despite Robin's abrasive personality. The archer took few of his husband's complaints seriously, and it was for the best as Robin complained about _many_ things.

The tactician was not, however, all just complaints. He helped draft plans to restore Rosanne after the Valmese war, and eventually learned to tone down his complaints into persistent but low-key snark.

Virion would have to snap Robin out of obsessions at various points in his life. The tactician's single-minded focus was his best asset and his worst fault, and his husband would come to know that all too well.

Savepoint

Robin never revealed what she'd done to Chrom, or anyone for that matter. Even though she would later marry the prince, the secret still died with her.

Chrom would, however, learn of Robin's marking and returning ability. He was both amused and slightly intimidated at the extent of his wife's borderline fanatical devotion… especially when he learned that this devotion extended to _before_ they were married.

Robin would never do something so drastic again in her life, and in her later years she would wonder if she imagined the entire episode.

Old

Robin never returned after giving himself up to kill Grima. Chrom was not surprised. The man was old, and his body and mind had already been taking a sharp turn for the worse near the end of the war.

With no family to speak of and owing allegiance at one point to both Plegia and Ylisse a memorial was built along their shared border for the tactician. At some point in the next ten years a scholar would write a biography of the man's life.

Goddess of Strategy

Robin, despite her status being common knowledge among the Shepherds, feigned to be a noble to the rest of the world for several decades. She would marry Ricken a few years after the Valmese war, despite Ricken being _very_ unsure that it was okay to marry a literal goddess, and for the duration of the man's life Robin would play the part of a noble and help rebuild Ricken's family from their state of poverty. She practiced her abilities in quiet, using willing volunteers (her husband and some of the Shepherds) as test subjects for her various powers such as armor summoning and enchanting, ability enhancing, energy boosting, and disciple mind control.

She also practiced use of her various combat spells, including ones exceeding the power of mortal weapons, spells more powerful than Meteor or Naglfar. There would be more than one crater littering the countryside during those years.

Robin would eventually develop a religion of her own, though not until a few generations _after_ the death of the Shepherds. Being an _actual_ goddess unlike her mother Robin would keep the soul of her husband beside her after his death, turning him into an archangel.

Sadistic

Historians know very little of Robin's life beyond what was recorded by others of his time, such as his efforts fighting Plegia and Valm. The man kept no journal, and considering what little information historians have of his life outside of war, maybe that's for the best.

Multiple Personality Disorder

As the war grew longer Cessabit found herself in control of their collective body more and more often. It got to the point that she was spending several days in a row in control while the other three kept out of the way to let the tactician do her work. Any free time she _did_ have she gave to the others.

The end of the war was a relief for Cessabit, as it was for everyone, but the yellow-eyed personality skipped her turns for a couple months to rest. Not having a house though, Robin (as the collective personalities call themself) exchanges time between the castle and visiting Vaike during the two years of peace that follow, and Timor eventually mustered enough courage to allow Libidine to make an advance.

In the future, Robin and Vaike marry. Being married to essentially _four_ people at once is just as chaotic for Vaike as it sounds.

Respawn

Robin continuously resets his life over and over and over. Sometimes out of boredom, sometime because he is nearly dead from old age. He doesn't want to die, he refuses to. Eventually he discovers a way to make himself immortal, and time can finally moves forward again.

He never does manage to beat Henry in straight combat though, and Robin never completes the challenge he was given to learn everything about everyone.

* * *

 **This was challenging. More so than I expected.**

* * *

 **Half-beastdragonsoul2013** **:** Yep, subtlety was not what I was going for.

 **omegazeroinfi** **:** I honestly had no idea what I was gonna do going into that chapter. I happened to be listening to "Determination" by djsmell at the time, and I just ran with the idea. Also yes, I know the requests represent interest. It's just… well, a bunch of drunk guys calling for more beer _also_ shows interest. If I'm desperate for attention, sure, that's fine, but what I enjoy is _conversation_. I do realize I'm being a bit petty here though, apologies for that.

 **bLuewErewOlf25** **:** Yep, no subtlety here. *Bad time intensifies*

I'll add that idea to the list, but please understand your suggestion is _very_ comical and as such really doesn't fit the tone of this collection whatsoever. Also, incorporating music into a written medium is _hard as hell_.

 **FleetwoodPink2Zeppelin** **:** :D

 **Guest on a quest** **:** To be honest that's what I was gonna go with too, but I struggled to find anything interesting to do with that which wasn't just "oh, Robin wears down his enemy and wins eventually."

 **Ren4gade** **:** Just vibes? I wasn't _that_ subtle! I'm not sure if this is the megalomaniac checkoff or not, but I think I'll count it as such. Writing evil characters is _hard_.

 **whitefri2z** **:** Yes, Henry is the judge. I didn't actually realize I killed Asgore first, good point! It seemed more fitting though. I always thought Sully would be Undyne, but Priam works too!

Don't get me wrong, I'd _love_ full stories of some of these too, but I don't have that much time in my _life_ to write a full story of everything I think of. If you find someone willing, or want to yourself, be more than welcome to steal these ideas for a full story. The point of this collection is to inspire after all.

 **CorEagle** **:** The Undertale vibes were _very_ intentional.

Henry is a bit OOC here I admit, he's a bit less of a jokester. That's partially my incompetence at writing jokes, but also because this is the "let's get dangerous" moment for him when the mask finally comes off. Not sure that _justifies_ his OOC for my part, but I'm glad you enjoyed it either way.

Ah, I assumed the chair thing was a misspell. Good to know.

Variable Robin added to the list, but that'll be hard to incorporate. Still, I like the idea!

No, thank _you_ for reviewing.

 **frozenJester** **:** Yeah, Henry is top three for me in this game up there with Owain and Noire. He really is great! I remember smiling like a madman the first time I got him. Really, who else _could_ be Sans in Awakening? Henry makes puns, always smiles, and is _wicked_ dangerous (his supports mention he's one of the most powerful mages in Plegia!).

I'll put it on the list I suppose, but that's trait that probably won't be very overt if/when I use it.


	41. Bard Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening or any of the songs I parody/use here, all rights to the owners.**

 **Minor: Dark Flier, Immortal, Boxer (Pugilist), Exploitive, Swordmaster, Angry Cinnamon Roll, Tripping, Perpetual Cheer, Chef, Blacksmith, Pegasus Knight, Teacher, Librarian, Masochist, Literal-Minded, Authoritative, Middle Age, Wyvern Rider, Aromantic.**

 **Standard: Elemental, Deaf, Foreign, Future sight, Tiny, Nurse/Medic, Valmese Tactician, Medusa, Amazon, Genderfluid, Gift from Validar + evil to good, Mind Control, Banshee, Dancer, Mimic, Emotionless, Crippling Overspecialization (Idiot Savant), Coward, ESP, POW, PTSD, Magician, Mute, Savage, Handicapped, Secret Helper, Crazy, MPD, Morpher, Dreamwalker, Motherly, Lich, Twins, Regenerating, Animal Whisperer, Naga/Tiki Assistant, Sleepless, Plant, Fairy, Deadly Touch, Mind Reader, Doppelganger, Arachne, D &D magic, Umbramancer, Historian, Horror Monster.**

 **Unlikely: Chrom's child, Minotaur, Paladin, Werewolf, Assassin, Future Soldier, Bounty Hunter, Weather control, Kleptomaniac, Druid, Steampunk, Shadow Familiar, Magic Augmentation, Lucky, Exile, Piper (Charmer), Gladiator, Witch Doctor, Centaur, Drunk, Demon, Punk, Harpy, Revenant, Luck Manipulation, Demon Summoner, Megalomaniac, Kitsune, King of Plegia, Mood Ring, Reverse Aging, Hammerspace, Prostitute, Demon Hunter, Cyborg, Maid/Servant/Butler, Deadlord, Rebellion, Einherjar, Trap, Yandere, Living Weapon, Size Shifter, Queen of Plegia, Gluttonous, Stretchy, Ninja, Alchemist, Protoss, Spirit Manipulation, Invisible, Plegian Honor Guard, Mecha, Kryptonian, Creator, Orc, Memory Stealing Respawn, Racer, Khan, Elder God, Misfortune, Vampire Hunter, Geokinetic, Imaginary Actualization, Death, Resurrection, Arachne, Force, Merchant, Background Music, Variable, Civilian, Natural Disaster, Mental Noise Projection, Hidden OP.**

 **Other: Pokemon Trainer, Self-insert, Second Generation replacement, Dimensional Walker, Cycle, Fates.**

 **Bard Robin, requested by Guest. Well, less a bard and more a songwriter/one-man-band. A lot of these songs aren't recent, so depending on what old media you've seen/heard you may or may not have any idea what these songs are parodies of. Also, adding songs to a story is** _ **hard**_ **, they don't fit the flow.**

 **I'm also not a songwrite. I know these don't flow with the original songs, but it's the best I could come up with. Also, this website really doesn't like empty spaces, so I had to get creative with dividing the stanzas. I used a # because it's the only thing I could find that the website doesn't delete upon saving.**

* * *

"In honor of your birthday, I've written you a song!" Robin says dramatically as he brandishes his so-called guitar. 'So-called' because that thing makes dozens of different noises that guitars certainly _can't_ make.

Robin is a one man band with only one instrument.

"Please no." Chrom sighs.

"Sure, sure, I'll save it for your wedding then!"

"Oh gods _no_." The prince groans. "Can you just… _never_ sing the song?"

"Chrom!" The red-haired man gasps and plants a hand on his chest. "You _wound_ me! I put in all this effort and you can't even be bothered to listen?!"

The blue-haired man rolls his eyes. "After your last song, no, I can't be bothered."

"Well too bad! I'mma sing anyways!" Robin cackles. The other assorted Shepherds (and Emmeryn) all chuckle at his antics and prepare for whatever weird song Robin has thought up this time.

The bard plucks a few strings to test his instrument, making the sound of a drum, a strange heavy rumbling, and a quiet brass vibration.

"Behold, Chrom's theme song." Robin chuckles. The prince is _not_ enthusiastic to see a manic grin on the man's face. "Ehem…"

 _Do you like his sword? (sword)_

 _Sword, his magic sword? (sword)_

 _You cannot afford (ford)_

 _Ford, his magic sword (sword!)_

 _Even if you could (could!)_

 _It's bloodline dependant!_

Robin expertly navigates his device to make several sounds at once. The bard had explained it before as the instrument having a "repeat" function that allowed it to play the same sound in the background while Robin himself played something entirely different, and that's what allows his one-man-band capabilities.

Chrom already has his head down on the table, trying to block out the embarrassed flush on his face. He knows _exactly_ where this song is going.

 _No one else can swing a sword_

 _With quite so much abandon (bandon!)_

 _No one's a fitting stand-in (stand-in!)_

 _Hack and slash that bandit (bandit!)_

#

 _Swing, swing, swing his sword (sword)_

 _Whenever he gets bored (bored)_

 _He can swing his sword (sword!)_

 _He can swing his sword! (sword!)_

Sully is laughing by this point and even Emmeryn, polite as she is, can't help but giggle at the song. Lissa is trying to pry her brother's hands off his ear, but the prince is stubborn in his decision to _not_ listen to this.

 _Once he broke the outer wall_

 _While he and Sully had a brawl_

 _He didn't really fix it_

 _Because he doesn't know stonework!_

Chrom's head snaps up and he _glares_ at the bard. "You _didn't_ just reveal that."

"Chrom…" Emmeryn says slowly.

"It was an accident!" The prince protests weakly as Lissa busts out laughing.

Robin is already smiling like a maniac, but the song isn't even done yet.

 _Swinging is his business_

 _And by that I mean swinging swords_

 _Please do not ignore_

 _Do you like his sword?_

 _#_

 _Hah!_

 _#_

 _That was rhetorical_

 _You know I am the oracle_

 _I know you like his sword_

 _It's made of freaking magic_

 _#_

 _If you don't you're lyin'_

 _But that would be fine_

 _Because that sword is awesome!_

 _And you're probably jealous!_

 _#_

 _He can swing his sword (sword)_

' _Cause he is the lord (lord)_

 _Lord of magic swords…!_

Robin finishes the song with a final strum of his guitar. The assorted Shepherds applaud as the bard bows, and Robin turns towards the prince.

"Like it?"

"I hate you Robin." The prince growls, but he's obviously fighting a smile. "Did you _have_ to reveal my secret?"

"C'mon, it was funny."

Chrom tries his best to glare, but he can't help but shake his head and sigh with a smile. "Alright, fine, maybe it was…"

###

"One, two, three, four." Olivia murmurs to herself as she moves through her practice routine. Step, twist, double-backstep, leap.

This specific set of moves is one of the hardest parts of her warmup. It's a complicated and somewhat unintuitive string of movements that requires stopping and spinning on a dime and getting a leap with no running start. By consequence the leap can't get much distance, but Olivia has learned how to get some height out of it. The faster this string of movements, the more likely she is to lose balance.

Olivia prides herself on getting this particular part right. It's unlikely to be used in a _proper_ dance because it looks just as unnatural as it feels, but it's good practice for strange movements and quick adjustments.

"I'm surprised your hair doesn't get in the way when you do that." A male voice says, clearly amused.

"Eek!" Olivia immediately falters in her practice and spins to face whoever would invade her practice time. The bard waves cheerily to the girl, totally unphased by her reaction. "H-How-?"

"It's not like this place is abandoned." The man chuckles. "C'mon Olivia, you're just in the garden. A secluded part of the garden, but just the _garden_. If I didn't see you, Emm probably would have when she goes for her walk."

"Ah." The pink-haired girl flushes in slight embarrassment. "Y-Yes, well, I wasn't expecting anyone so _soon_."

"You can't predict the incredible!" Robin says dramatically. He pauses for effect, then says with a grin. "But seriously, I was just looking for a place to practice that wasn't my room for once. I need some fresh air."

"I can understand that." Olivia says with a nervous smile. "It's nice to practice outside."

"Yeah… so what dance are you doing?" Robin asks. "That looked a bit _weird_."

The dancer flushes even harder. "Th-That's a _warm up_ , not an actual dance!"

"Oh thank Naga, I didn't want to be the one to tell you it looked weird as hell." The bard says in relief. "Like seriously, that twist and backstep looks odd together."

"Th-That's the point! It's supposed to be challenging!" The woman squeaks. "It's a _warm up_ , it's not about looking good!"

"Isn't the entire point of dance to look good?"

"I-I- b-but- _shush_ you!" The dancer huffs, thoroughly embarrassed.

Robin cackles and waves at her. "I'll find somewhere else practice. You keep working on that!"

"There's nothing to work on! _It's a warm up_!"

###

"Cower in fear villain, for I am Owain Dark!" The blond-haired boy cries as he raises his sword to sky. "My faithful blade, Missiletainn, and I will strike you down!"

"Stay back hero!" The brown-haired pegasus knight cries back as she levels her spear. "My plot will succeed, whether you're here to see it or not!"

"Will our hero stop the villainous Cynthia? Will he ever recover his captured friends? Find out in two weeks, same time, same place!" Robin says as dramatically as he can as he pulls the curtains closed in front of the two youths.

All the little kids seated in front of the stage give varying responses of disappointment and excitement, and the bard known Owain and Cynthia will be happy. Disappointed or excited, it means the kids are engaged.

Robin is still surprised those two managed to turn their Justice Cabal antics into entertainment for the little kids. He knows the childminders appreciate the hour to relax; it's hard to watch two dozen kids with only three people.

The bard has agreed to play the part of narrator because he's free on this particular day, and he knows the other future children are regularly dragged into this show so that it can have extra characters.

The funniest show had to be when they dragged Gerome into playing a jaded antihero. It was hilarious watching him try to be dramatic, even though if he'd just acted like himself he would have fit the role a lot better.

"So, did they like it?!" Owain asks breathlessly as Robin comes around the back of the stage.

"Did they, did they?!" Cynthia chirps.

"When have they ever _not_?" Robin chuckles. "Of course they did."

The two future children give each other a high five. "Yes…"

"We have to prepare for next week." Cynthia says.

"Oh, right. It's the finale." Owain nods. "We're gonna have to get Noire, Severa, and Brady again."

"And I'm going to have to train Snowflake for her part." The pegasus knight remembers. "Ooh, we have a lot of work for next show."

"You were said you were going to write a song for next time right?" The myrmidon says to the bard, who nods affirmatively.

"I have a _glorious_ song in development." Robin says with a grin. "You two are going to love it."

"Can we have an early hearing…?" Cynthia asks cheekily.

"No way!" The bard chuckles. "I can't let you hear anything but my best!"

"Aww…"

"Well, I think we should part ways at this point. We both have practice to do after all!" Robin says with a smirk.

The three part ways with Robin retreating to his room. The large room is a mess of music sheets, maps, and notes. It's controlled chaos in Robin's eyes, a disaster in others'. Robin knows where everything is though, even if no one else does.

"Let's see here…" The bard mutters as he grabs the correct sheets from his desk with what he has written of the song. He settles his guitar on his lap, prepares the repeating music, and says: "let's give this a shot…"

 _The daring Dark of mystery_

 _Champion of right!_

 _Swoops out from the shadows_

 _Owain owns the night!_

 _#_

 _Cynthia sits and schemes_

 _But her luck is up!_

 _(Three two one!)_

 _Owain Dark!_

 _(When there's trouble he'll bring the tussle!)_

 _Owain Dark!_

 _(Let's get dangerous!)_

Robin pauses, hums the song again, and frowns. "Hmm… Trouble and tussle? Not great, but nothing good rhymes with trouble…. Also, 'sits and schemes' isn't working."

The bard turns to his sheet of music, notes down a few other ideas, and starts experimenting once more.

###

"Robin, buddy, pal."

"Inigo, flirt, annoyance."

"You wound me!"

"And you hurt my ears."

"I'd almost think you didn't like me Robin!"

"And you'd be right."

"Yet you tolerate me anyways."

"Well I think Lucina would be a bit disappointed if one of her friends came moaning to her because I kicked him out of my office."

"Wha- I would _not_ go moaning to Lucina!"

"Sure you wouldn't… So why is it that she's always patching you up after you get punched in the face?"

"Because Brady won't, and I don't want to ask Lissa or Maribelle."

"What about Anna?"

"She charges _money_!"

"And? You waste enough money on pretty girls already."

"W-Well I have to be conservative _somewhere_."

"And it's nothing about the fact you go to _Lucina_ , who's super busy all the time, and not… say... Noire who also knows how to patch wounds."

"O-Of course not! It just _happens_ that she's around at the time."

"Sure, sure. So what do you want? Why are you here? I'm _not_ helping you get into a bar."

"I'm old enough for that already! And I'm here because I need your help with something."

"What?"

"I need a song."

"I'm not going to help you serenade someone."

"No, no… I want one for my mother."

"For Olivia?"

"Yeah. Her birthday is coming up in a few months, and I think it would be cool and a bit funny if, say, you could sing a theme song about her."

"Oh-ho, a theme song huh? Well I _do_ seem to specialize in those."

"Right!? Mother would be so embarrassed, but I think she'd love it."

"Aha, alright. I can do that."

"Right! So how much do I owe you?"

"You owe me… hmm… an answer."

"A-An answer?"

"Yeah. Tell me honestly: why do you go to Lucina?"

"You're not going to let this go, are you?"

"I'm curious. Humor me."

"I… I have a crush, alright?"

"Really? The casanova wannabe has a crush? What a shock."

"I'm serious!"

"Whatever you say Inigo… just be sure that's true. Chrom won't take kindly to someone messing with his daughter."

###

The red-headed girl raises an eyebrow. "That has to be _so_ weird calling your father by his first name."

"You have no idea." Inigo sighs. "I mean, I can't _tell_ him I'm his son! He and mother barely have a relationship to speak of… and he always sounds so disappointed. It hurts."

"Well you _are_ a womanizer."

"I am not!"

"You totally are." Severa snorts. "Imaging Virion, except he he's not nearly as smart as he claims to be and sucks at wooing people. That's you."

Inigo winces. "Thanks Severa."

"What? It's true. You want me to sugar-coat things?"

"No, no… that wouldn't be like you." The boy sighs. "There's more to me than that though, you know?"

"Sure. We just never see it." Severa scoffs. "I'm sure you pet puppies in the few _seconds_ a day you aren't chasing skirts."

"Biting as always Severa…"

###

"S-So can you play it?" Olivia asks tentatively.

"This? Easy." Robin scoffs. He strums the notes with ease. "Just tell me when you're ready."

"Okay…" The lady stretches quickly and settles into her starting position. "Alright, lead in."

Robin strums the first few chords, and Olivia springs to life when she hears her cue. The music is for a ballet, and the pink-haired lady moves appropriately. Robin wasn't aware she could do ballet, but in hindsight it's not that surprising. There's more to her than quick flourishes on the battlefield.

Olivia's usual attire gives a different feel to the ballet though. The waving ribbons make the dance feel fluid and smooth rather than the graceful but somewhat stiff look lent by usual ballet attire.

At least that's Robin's opinion. He thinks the tutus or the leotards just look… _weird_. Probably his personal preference though.

Olivia is quiet through most of her performance. She whispers in time to the beat of the music under her breath with a quick "one, two, three, four!" to keep pace as she performs move after move.

There are a few slip ups that Robin notices, but the majority of the dance is well-done and smooth. Robin isn't a dance critic, so he regrets that he won't be able to give more valuable help than "these places looked off" which is something Olivia probably already knows.

Olivia finishes with a flourish and curtsy, and Robin tapers off the music. Immediately the girl grimaces and says. "That didn't go nearly as well as I hoped."

"There were a few rough spots." Robin agrees. "Not bad overall though."

"I disagree!" The dancer huffs. "I can't perform that as is!"

"Well I never said you could, I just said it wasn't bad overall." The bard chuckles. "I know all too well how something has to be _perfect_ to show it to an audience. I'm a performer myself after all."

"Oh, right." She smiles sheepishly. "W-Well, would you mind playing the music again? I want to go again."

"That's why I'm here." Robin chuckles. He settles his fingers on the strings. "Whenever you're ready."

###

"That is _not_ what I had in mind…" Inigo mutters as Robin finishes the song he has planned. "But I love it." He says as a wide grin crosses his face. "Mother is going to be _so_ embarrassed."

"That's the idea!" The bard snickers. "I _love_ making birthday songs."

"And she has no idea you're here either." Inigo says. He lets out a very unmanly giggle. "Basilio is going to find this hilarious."

"I'd hope so. If he doesn't I've done something wrong." Robin nods. "That man will laugh at anything."

"Right." The grey-haired man nods. "So just wait for my cue, okay?"

"Of course."

Robin sits back in his seat just outside the main hall. Basilo, of course, insisted on celebrating Olivia's birthday in Ferox's grand hall (despite there only being about a dozen guests) which gives Robin an easy hiding spot in one of the side-halls.

He doesn't know how long he'll be waiting, so he brought a book and a snack. Robin is relying on Inigo being loud enough for him to hear when the moment comes. In the mean time he'll be reading a book Sumia loaned to him, called " _The Duchess' Favor_ ".

Inigo calls on him sooner than later, just before the party is about to eat. The boy stands up at the table while successfully hiding a smile. "Mother, before we begin… I have a little surprise for you."

"Y-You do?" Olivia squeaks.

"Oh yes, I had a friend of ours prepare a _song_ for this occasion." Inigo says, and a mad grin finally breaks out over his face. He speaks as loudly as he can so the bard can hear. "Isn't that right, _Robin_?"

Robin doesn't miss his cue, and springs from his hiding spot with a menacing smile. Olivia was there for Chrom's birthday, and knows _exactly_ what to expect when she sees the bard. Already she's starting to blush in embarrassment from the anticipation.

Basilo watches the man intently, smiling just as enthusiastically as Inigo. He's only heard Robin perform once or twice, but he's _extremely_ glad to be able to hear him again.

Robin takes a deep breath, strums his instrument, and starts singing.

 _Think of all performers that you've ever heard about,  
_

 _Like clowns, jesters, bards and a shrink,  
_

 _There are lots of funny costumes in this big wide world,  
_

 _But have you ever seen a dancer dressed in pink?  
_

 _Think!  
_

 _A dancer that is positively pink!_

"Oh my…" Olivia moans while covering her face. "Inigo…!"

The boy just _laughs_ , and Basilo joins in while slapping the poor dancer on the back. The other guests also openly show their amusement at this sudden and ridiculous song.

 _Well here she is, the Pink Dancer,_

 _T_ _he Pink Dancer,_

 _Everybody loves a dancer that's pink,  
_

 _#_

 _She really is a cute little cat,  
_

 _She's a singer, she's a dancer, she's an acrobat!_

 _#_

 _She's in the pink, the Pink Dancer,  
_

 _The rinky-dink dancer,  
_

 _And it's as plain as your nose,  
_

 _#_

 _That she's the one and only, truly original,  
_

 _Dancer pink from head to toe,  
_

 _#_

 _Yeah, she's the one and only, truly original,  
_

 _Dancer, Pink Dancer, from head to toe!_

Robin's song transitions into a quick musical section, and Olivia silently prays that the song is ending, but there's two more verses to go and the dancer mumbles in incoherent embarrassment. Her face is scarlet red, and Robin considers the song a success already.

 _Well now you've met the Pink Dancer,  
_

 _The Pink Dancer,  
_

 _Isn't she a dancer ever so pink?  
_

 _#_

 _You've seen that she's a cute little cat,  
_

 _And what a singer, what a dancer, what an acrobat!_

 _#_

 _She's in the pink, the Pink Dancer!  
_

 _A rinky-dink dancer,  
_

 _And it's as plain as your nose,  
_

 _#_

 _That she's the one and only truly original,  
_

 _Dancer pink from head to toes,  
_

 _#_

 _Yeah she's the one and only truly original,  
_

 _Dancer Pink Dancer from head to toe!_

Robin bows to generous applause from his small audience. Basilo in particular is loud in his laughter and clapping. Olivia absolutely refuses to look up when Robin leans against the back of her chair and ask her: "so, how'd you like it? Did I capture your _essence_ like I did with Chrom?"

"Noo…" Olivia says in a tone that's half laugh half whine. Robin cheekily tries to pull one of her hands off her face, and catches the sight of tears coming down her face from poorly held-back laughter. "I haaaate you."

"Sure you do." Robin snickers. "You're going to have to look up to eat Olivia."

"Mph…"

"That was perfect!" Inigo laughs as he drapes his arms around his mother's shoulders in a hug. "I love you mother."

"Love you too." She grumbles. "Ooh, why'd you have to hire _Robin_?!"

"Because it's hilarious!" The man says with a grin. "Who better than him?!"

"I am the best." Robin chuckles. "You're welcome Olivia. Inigo, _thank_ you for asking me to do this. Birthday songs are the best."

"Maybe you can make another next year?" Inigo asks, only half joking.

"Noo…" Olivia laughs weakly as she finally pulls her face off the table.

"Maybe I will." The bard says with an ominous smile. "Maybe I need to make something for _your_ birthday."

"Singing praise of my charm?" Inigo asks cheekily.

"Sure, we'll go with that." Robin grins.

"Well, seeing as you're here now, you may as well join us for the meal. Right Olivia?" Basilo chuckles.

"Of course!"

The bard takes a seat next to Inigo, is quickly fetched a set of dinnerware by one of the servants, and raises a glass to the other guests. "To Olivia!"

The others quickly follow suit. "To Olivia!"

* * *

 **I think that works as a chapter. It saves me the trouble of trying to parody more songs anyways. As I said at the start, I am** _ **not**_ **a songwriter.**

 **The songs in question I parodied for these chapters were "I CAN SWING MY SWORD!" by Tobuscus, "Darkwing Duck Theme" from the show "Darkwing Duck", and "From Head to Toe" from the show "Pink Panther".**

 **Yes, I know some of these songs are kinda old, but they fit well. Also, I actually had the idea for the Pink Panther parody (even if I didn't change many of the lyrics)** _ **before**_ **I started making The Robin Variable. Never thought I'd** _ **use**_ **those crappy lyrics I made, but hey, they fit this chapter so… sure. Here you go.**

* * *

 **Someguyparagon** **:** No. Well, at least not in _The Robin Variable_. I could bump that to _Varied Awakenings_ if you want.

 **Guest** **:** Okay, so I haven't played Drakengard 3. You'll need to give me specific power/quirk examples. Horror Movie Robin is interesting… I like it. No idea what you mean by ying yang, can you clarify? Civilian in the fray I'm filing under unlikely.

 **Truly Bob** **:** Causing natural disasters is a massively OP power, so I'm not so sure about that one. Making noise in someone's head is… _weird_ and difficult but admittedly interesting, and hidden OP Robin has similar issues to natural disaster Robin. All of these ideas are interesting but unlikely.

 **CorEagle :** I didn't take inspiration from _those_ , I actually took vague inspiration from _Awakening's_ epilogues. Henry's in particular inspired the idea that these were written by historians and not the narrator so to speak.


	42. Communication Issues Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening or any of the songs I parody/use here, all rights to the owners.**

 **Minor: Dark Flier, Immortal, Boxer (Pugilist), Exploitive, Swordmaster, Angry Cinnamon Roll, Tripping, Perpetual Cheer, Chef, Blacksmith, Pegasus Knight, Teacher, Librarian, Masochist, Literal-Minded, Authoritative, Middle Age, Wyvern Rider, Aromantic, Phobia, Thicc.**

 **Standard: Elemental, Deaf, Foreign, Future sight, Tiny, Nurse/Medic, Valmese Tactician, Medusa, Amazon, Genderfluid, Gift from Validar + evil to good, Mind Control, Banshee, Dancer, Mimic, Emotionless, Crippling Overspecialization (Idiot Savant), Coward, ESP, POW, PTSD, Magician, Mute, Savage, Handicapped, Secret Helper, Crazy, MPD, Morpher, Dreamwalker, Motherly, Lich, Twins, Regenerating, Animal Whisperer, Naga/Tiki Assistant, Sleepless, Plant, Fairy, Deadly Touch, Mind Reader, Doppelganger, Arachne, D &D magic, Umbramancer, Historian, Horror Monster, Detective, No Sense of Personal Space, Shota, Dominatrix, Songstress, Kinky.**

 **Unlikely: Chrom's child, Minotaur, Paladin, Werewolf, Assassin, Future Soldier, Bounty Hunter, Weather control, Kleptomaniac, Druid, Steampunk, Shadow Familiar, Magic Augmentation, Lucky, Exile, Piper (Charmer), Gladiator, Witch Doctor, Centaur, Drunk, Demon, Punk, Harpy, Revenant, Luck Manipulation, Demon Summoner, Megalomaniac, Kitsune, King of Plegia, Mood Ring, Reverse Aging, Hammerspace, Prostitute, Demon Hunter, Cyborg, Maid/Servant/Butler, Deadlord, Rebellion, Einherjar, Trap, Yandere, Living Weapon, Size Shifter, Queen of Plegia, Gluttonous, Stretchy, Ninja, Alchemist, Protoss, Spirit Manipulation, Invisible, Plegian Honor Guard, Mecha, Kryptonian, Creator, Orc, Memory Stealing Respawn, Racer, Khan, Elder God, Misfortune, Vampire Hunter, Geokinetic, Imaginary Actualization, Death, Resurrection, Arachne, Force, Merchant, Background Music, Variable, Civilian, Natural Disaster, Mental Noise Projection, Hidden OP, Summoner, Cyclops, Teleporter, Cryokinetic, Genie, Judge, Intangibility, Fortune Teller, Future Vision, Serial Killer, Pervert, Stalker, Magic Fixit, Drakengard Restoration, Ying-Yang, Childhood Friend, Cyberpunk.**

 **Other: Pokemon Trainer, Self-insert, Second Generation replacement, Dimensional Walker, Cycle, Fates.**

 **Anyways, this is an idea I've had for a while: Communication Disorder Robin. Based** _ **roughly**_ **on Global Aphasia (I'm using artistic license, and I'm hardly an expert on this to begin with). This is not going to be nearly as well-portrayed as I did with Autism, this is a bit more… glorified? So yeah, disclaimer, don't take this as accurate to the condition** _ **at all**_ **. I've having _fun_ here rather than trying to be 100% faithful to the condition, and no offence is intended to those who actually suffer some sort of aphasia.**

 **I know I should probably be doing another suggestion, but let's be honest, I'm never going to get through this list. At some point though I'd like to hold some sort of contest (or maybe just a challenge, contest implies a 'winner') for** _ **other**_ **people to take some of these ideas and make stories out of them. As I've mentioned before, I've always wanted this collection to be something others could pull from for inspiration. It'd be cool to see what everyone else could do with these ideas… though I'm not sure there would be enough entrants for any challenge/contest I could make.**

 **It was hella hard to find a place to start with this idea.**

* * *

"Holy shit, run!" The brigand yells as he desperately backpedals from the Shepherds. The tell tale pounding of hooves and clank of armor give two possibilities. Either it's Frederick-

-a dark shape shoots past Chrom, and a war hammer comes down to smash the brigand in the head, crushing it. The rider, dressed in a dark cloak with built-in armor plates and wearing a black mask that covers the left side of their head, eye included, wheels their horse around to strike at the other brigands-

-or Robin. Clearly it's Robin this time, unless Frederick and the tactician changed clothes. Considering Robin stands at an extremely tall six foot six though, Chrom doubts Robin could _fit_ Frederick's armor.

Either way the short, bowl-cut black hair gives Robin away, as does the one visible red eye. Her reputation alone as the "horseman of death" is enough to send superstitious brigands fleeing the instant they see her which is equal parts useful and inconvenient. Useful because they rarely put up a fight, and inconvenient because they scatter too much for the Shepherds to know if they got everyone. That's why Robin usually only joins the battle near the end, and spends the rest of the battle giving commands from the backline.

'Giving commands' by the way, means hand signals. Robin can't speak, can't write, and can't understand _other people's_ speech and writing. She relies on whoever is next to her to shout her commands (usually Virion) to others, as obviously not everyone can be looking at her at every given moment.

In this case, Robin must have judged the battle was close enough to over that she could charge in and clean up the stragglers. Chrom finds grim satisfaction in the way the brigands run in terror of her.

The battle ends swiftly after Robin gets involved. The Shepherds easily mop up the rest of the brigands as they flee into the woods away from the open path. Hopefully this route will be free of harassment for a while.

"Alright everyone, let's clean this up!" Chrom barks. "Remove the valuables and weapons from the corpses before burying them! Keep an eye out for anyone who might have gotten away!"

The Shepherds pair off and start doing as he ordered. And Chrom beckons to Robin so they can do the same. For all her inability to communicate, the girl has learned by watching what is usually expected after a fight. She dismounts her horse and hands it off to Emmet, and then joins Chrom in searching and lugging bodies to the mass grave being dug by Frederick and Vaike.

Virion counts all the corpses as they're tossed in, and records everything they obtain from the brigands' pockets in a list to be given to Emmet along with whatever they obtain.

Most people don't realize the work that goes into cleaning up after a battle. Sure, they could just leave the bodies there, but then the bodies would stick around for a month and that would both look disturbing and smell horribly, so the Shepherds have to bury the bodies whenever they take them down.

In some ways Risen are much less of a hassle. At least they vanish into smoke when defeated, and hence Vaike's nickname for them: "smoke zombies".

###

Chrom isn't sure if he should feel bad for the servant or laugh. She must be new, because _all_ the other servants know better than to stand too close to Robin when they need her attention. Robin is _fast_ , and keeps at least five hidden daggers on her person at all times. Startling her usually means having a dagger at your throat a moment later.

This poor servant made the mistake of tapping Robin on the shoulder when she was absorbed in her mapmaking. Lo and behold, the girl now has a dagger pointed at her face and is pushed up against the wall by the startled tactician. The servant wears a look of utter panic while Robin is breathing hard, trying to calm herself.

"You really need to calm down." Chrom calls with an amused grin. "You're in the castle. Not everyone here is out to kill you."

Robin huffs, but steps back and lets the sacred servant act out his message (a poor imitation of eating, which of course is a signal to the tactician that it is time to eat) and scampers out of the room.

The prince chuckles as Robin quickly organizes the things on her desk, such as putting away her quill and capping her inks so that none of them are ruined. She pulls on her armored cloak, and it's at this point Chrom slings an arm over her shoulders with a cheeky grin.

"Come on Rob, if you keep doing that you're going to scare _everyone_ away from you." Chrom says, poking fun at her. "I know you have this whole 'brooding genius' persona you like to keep up, but aren't the daggers a bit overkill? When Lissa says you're 'edgy' she doesn't mean you need to carry around blades everywhere!"

Robin snorts and tries to push the Prince's arm off her in response to him poking fun, but Chrom keeps a firm grip.

"And now you try to reject my company, I'm hurt." The prince jokes, his grin growing wider and wider. "You're too deep into this act Robin. You're not some sort of bad adventure book prota- ack!"

Chrom is cut short when the girl's left arm promptly pulls him into a headlock, cutting off what he was just saying. The girl stares flatly at the prince as he tries in vain to pull himself free from her grasp.

"Okay, okay! I give!" The prince says, still grinning and laughing. "Sorry Robin!"

Her grip tightens slightly, and Chrom has to remind himself that she can't understand his words, only his tone.

"Ah, right, uh…" Chrom coughs, and then taps her arm twice in a sign of surrender. The tall girl releases him, and he stands up straight with a sheepish grin. "Sorry, sorry."

Her eyes narrow, and he holds up his hands as a sign of peace. The prince is fighting to keep a stupid grin off his face, because he still finds this whole situation funny but doesn't want to annoy his tactician. Instead he spends the rest of the walk to dinner trying not to smile, which is _very_ difficult, and the deadpan glare Robin directs at him probably isn't that unwarranted.

###

Blue is trying to tell her something and failing, badly. She can't tell if this is some sort of warning, or a reassurance, or… she doesn't know, and that's sort of the problem.

He keeps pointing at himself, and then miming the presence of others. So there are others like him… but in what way? She doubts he's trying to tell her about the presence of an identical twin, so this clearly means something else. Others like him in terms of station or power indicates another price of some sort… or maybe he's referring to his older sister? At least Kestrel _thinks_ the calm lady with the symbol on her head (just like Blue has on his arm) is Blue's sister. The peppy girl seems to be his sister too, but as far as she is aware the peppy girl doesn't have the symbol on her anywhere.

Kestrel hates not being able to understand speech. She knows she's missing out on so much context because of it. She knows at some point she _could_ , she understands the idea of words and such, but for some reason she just _can't_ anymore. The memory loss doesn't help. The idea that the people around her probably don't even know what her _name_ is is rather frustrating. Sure, she drew them a crude picture of a bird to try and get the idea across, but there's no guarantee they got the right bird.

However, Kestrel remains calm. Getting frustrated won't help anything. Be calm, analyze as much as you can from context clues, body language, and tone of voice, and you can usually make a conclusion.

Blue being able to draw would help though. He's really bad at acting.

Eventually Blue gives up. His shoulders sag when Kestrel shakes her head once again, and instead he takes a seat next to her with an audible sigh. He massages his face, clearly stressed, so Kestrel awkwardly pats him on the back. The boy chuckles weakly and gives her a nervous grin. He says _something_ , and judging by the tone it's probably a joke.

Kestrel just rolls her eye and shakes her head. Whatever this is can't be _that_ important if Blue is joking about it.

###

Chrom is worried. He's presenting Robin to the council today, but he also totally _failed_ at explaining that to Robin. He just has to hope Robin doesn't do anything to offend them, because it'll reflect poorly on him and Emmeryn if she does.

Thankfully Robin doesn't actually have to _do_ anything other than bow and act stoic (which she is plenty capable of doing), so as long as she follows his lead this should go fine… hopefully. She just has to go through the introduction, stand there for a few minutes as Chrom explains things, and then she can leave. Simple.

"Chrom, are you ready?" Emmeryn asks, stepping into the council room. They're a few minutes early, as one would expect of those leading the council. Emmeryn takes her seat at the head of the table, right next to Chrom. Robin stands just behind the two next to Frederick, and both riders look equally stoic as they stand with arms crossed and a serious expression. "Robin understands what is going to happen?"

"No." Chrom admits sheepishly. Emmeryn raises an eyebrow, and Chrom rushes to explain. "I _tried_ … but it's hard to explain this without _words_ , and I can't exactly draw."

"Ah." The exalt murmurs. "But you expect this to go well?"

"Yes." Chrom says, not feeling nearly as confident as he's pretending to be.

"Well then, I trust you to handle it." Emmeryn nods.

The other councillors file in a few minutes later, and Robin is obviously scrutinizing all of them as they step through the door. Some of the councillors, namely the women, do a double-take at seeing a tall, black-clad, mask-wearing, serious-looking Plegian lady in the council room glaring at them.

The first few minutes of council are spent going over the agenda. Chrom struggles to focus and _not_ cast constant glances back at his tactician. He can tell she's probably still scrutinizing people based on how thoroughly uncomfortable the people close to him look.

It feels like forever, though it's probably only a few minutes, until the agenda is agreed upon and they finally move on to the first matter. That matter, of course, being Robin.

Chrom stands up, clearing his throat, and glances back at his tactician. The girl meets his eyes and raises an eyebrow, and when he motions to her to step up next to him she does so without question. "If you haven't heard, I will explain. Robin here is the new tactician of the Shepherds, and has already proven herself competent several times already. This introduction is to formalize her rank as such."

"So you're instating a high level tactician, who _isn't_ Ylissian, and who you've known for all of a few months?" The duke Albenion questions. "You say she has authority over the Shepherds, but as your personal military force the Shepherds in turn have situational authority over much of the military if need be. You're giving a Plegian girl power over a large portion of our forces."

"Yes." Chrom says bluntly. "I am not discriminating against race as _you_ are. So long as she is loyal and competent, I see no reason why she _shouldn't_ have as much power."

He could have worded that a lot more politely, and the subtle look Emmeryn gives him makes it clear she disagrees with his antagonistic tone, but she doesn't scold him openly. It's no secret Chrom doesn't like the duke of Albenion, and he doesn't like the prince in turn, so perhaps Emmeryn expected this.

The duke of Albenion's brow furrows, and he makes to speak again, but Maribelle's father, the duke of Themis, places a hand on the man's shoulder and he goes quiet. Instead the duke of Themis takes up the questioning, knowing Chrom will be far less hostile towards him.

"As good as that is, there are other potential issues I have heard mention of." The man says calmly. "I have heard say that Robin here is both deaf and illiterate, is that true?"

"Not exactly." Chrom says slowly, trying to remember the term Miriel used. "Miriel thinks she is aphasic. She is unable to understand or employ speech and writing."

"I see…" The man frowns. "And how does she command troops in battle?"

"Military hand signals, which someone next to her then relays to others. This is helped by extensive pre-planning." Chrom says. He consciously stands up as straight as he can to appear as confident as possible. Robin, for her part, is eyeing the duke of Themis carefully. The tension in their voices hasn't gone unnoticed, and the tactician has one hand subtly slipped into her cloak where she hides one of her five daggers.

"And how do you communicate intent with her?" The duke pushes. "What if you are searching for an object? Or need a particular objective? Or have complex demands? How do you communicate all that without speech or writing?"

"Pictures, maps, and hand signals." Chrom says. "Her disability is limited to _language_. Anything that can be communicated with words can be established through a series of quick sketches and hand signals. It's not quite as quick as speaking, true, but her military skills are great enough that I think this small hurdle is worth dealing with."

The prince is fairly sure the duke disagrees with this being a 'small' hurdle, but as the man thinks it over he nods reluctantly. "She has produced results already, correct?"

"Yes."

"There have been no miscommunications in battle?"

"Never." The Shepherds are all trained to understand standard military hand signals, and even then the signals Robin uses are pretty easy to understand _without_ that knowledge. A quick thumb backwards or a sharp jab in a certain direction are fairly universal for "get out" and "go there" after all. "As I said earlier, we keep someone with her to shout her orders to others specifically so that doesn't happen."

The duke mulls it over again, and then gives his acceptance. "All right. I put my trust in your ability to help overcome these issues." He gives a small smile. "You have yet to let us down Prince. You have my _tentative_ trust."

Chrom bows stiffly, feeling very relieved. Robin cautiously copies him, keeping one eye on the duke as she does so. With all the gesturing in her direction she got the idea very quickly that this conversation was about her. At the same time she's also annoyed that this conversation about her didn't _include_ her in the slightest.

Thankfully the rest of the council don't feel the need to comment. The duke of Themis is a well-renowned for his own military prowess, and if he agrees to this there is very little the others feel they can offer to deny that assessment.

"One last thing." The duke says, looking directly at the tactician. "Why do you support us?" The duke is surprisingly eloquent in his movements to convey this question, starting with a shrug of the shoulders, pointing at her, clasping his hands firmly together with one upside down as if mimicking a handshake, and then gesturing to everyone in the room ending with Chrom.

Maybe the exact wording escapes her, but Robin seems to understand the question. Her brows furrow as she thinks for a moment, then she acts. She points to Chrom, guides his hand to Falchion (which he grabs), and then raises that hand straight up so the sword almost scrapes the ceiling. She's put him into a recognizable heroic pose, and that tells everyone exactly what they need to know. It's not so much that Robin believes in _them_ or _Ylisse_ so much as she believes in _Chrom_ to do the right thing.

At least, that's what everyone assumes she's saying. Saying "this guy is a hero" in response to "why do you support us?" is a bit abstract. Robin can communicate in battle better than she can in social situations after all, so this is perhaps to be expected.

"I see." The duke nods, a faint smirk on his face. He looks now at Chrom. "Take care Prince, it seems you are held in high regard."

"I will." Chrom coughs as he sheathes Falchion. He nods to Robin and then gestures to the door. "Thank you Robin, you can go."

Robin nods her head to him, turns sharply, and strides out of the room with her armored cloak flaring behind her. At least half the council breathes an audible sigh of relief as she leaves, to which Chrom holds from glaring at those people in question.

###

It's not easy to take down Robin. She usually goes toe to toe with Frederick in spars with the two often trading victories. So when Chrom sees her get knocked from her horse and dog-piled by a dozen Risen he's naturally panicked. He immediately breaks off from his own fight, shouting for Frederick to be careful, and charges in her direction.

His reaction proves to be a bit unnecessary. Robin slashes her way out of the Risen with two of her daggers in hand, and as soon as she has breathing room she swaps those daggers for her backup iron sword. Chrom reaches her in time to help clean up the few Risen still threatening her, and while she reclaims her horse he picks up her dropped hammer to hand to her.

And at that point he realizes her mask has been knocked off, and he understands why she wore it in the first place. The left side of her face was clearly gouged at some point. A deep slash scar goes all the way from her eye to the back of her head, and Chrom would have to guess by the severity that the blade cut deep enough to go through the side of her skull.

How she lived through an injury that bad is beyond him, not that he's complaining. He quickly finds her mask on the ground and hands it to her along with her warhammer, and she nods curtly, reattaches the mask, and points him back to where he was before.

Chrom complies, and rushes back to help Frederick.

###

"Come on Robin, you can't work _all_ day. This is supposed to be a day off." Chrom huffs as he peers over the girl's shoulder to see her work. The girl gives him a flat look and tries to shoo him off, but Chrom refuses and stubbornly takes a seat across the desk so he's always in the corner of her vision. He awkwardly tries to gesture out what he's saying, and regrets internally that he isn't as eloquent as Maribelle's father in this regard. "Everyone else is going to the bar, you should come too." He makes a large sweeping gesture, mimes drinking and eating, and then points at her.

Robin snorts and shakes her head, and keeps focusing on her work. She's drawing a map that Chrom can recognize is of the main border pass between Plegian and Ylisse, and judging by the troop figurines, string, and pins she has beside her she must have been gearing up for a strategy session.

As important as that is, Chrom firmly believes getting _some_ fun in is equally important, especially for someone with as heavy a workload as Robin. He reaches out, grabbing her writing hand, and plucks the quill from her grasp. The girl scowls, giving him a disapproving glare, but Chrom is unphased. He sticks the quill back in its case and caps her inkwell, and then firmly motions for the girl to follow him.

The hardest part is keeping a stupid grin off his face at this whole situation. This is Robin at her best _and_ worst, her determination to keep working no matter what is both amicable and a bit of a hassle. Chrom finds her stubborn attitude endearing, especially because he's one of the few people that can actually get her to give in if he tries hard enough.

The girl reluctantly follows him out of the room, keeping up her glare the entire way out of the barracks. At some point during the walk to the bar her glare devolves into a pout, something Chrom never thought he'd see one someone as serious as Robin.

He pokes her in the cheek and smirks when he notices the pout, and the girl huffs once more and looks away. The prince can swear he spies a smile on her face when she looks back though.

Even the mighty Robin has a sense of humor, and can recognize her own childish pouting.

###

"Wait, that's _Robin_?" Chrom blinks in surprise.

"Of course it is!" Lissa huffs. "Come on Chrom, you knew she was going to be here! Just because she's not covered in metal doesn't mean she isn't the same person!"

"Sorry, sorry." Chrom coughs. "Right, uh…"

He doesn't want to admit he thought Robin was a boy. She's wearing a fancy dark vest, a high-collared purple shirt, polished brown boots, and dark pants. It's actually not to different from her battle attire but this being _Robin_ didn't register with Chrom at all. She even has the mask! How could he not recognize the mask?

At least she seems to be doing fine. He was worried this strange party (part of a meeting between Ylissian and Plegian nobility in between meetings of a peace treaty) would be trouble for her because of the obvious communication issue, but she seems to be getting along just fine with her current conversation partner (a dark-skinned lady with a _very_ skimpy dress).

They converse so naturally through quick actions that Chrom wonders if this lady has done this before. He shouldn't interrupt though, Robin rarely converses with other people, he doesn't want to take this from her.

That proves rather pointless when Robin sees _him_ and beckons him over. He nervously pushes his way through the crowd to her side, ignoring the many attempts of both Ylissian and Plegian nobles to get his attention.

"So… _this_ is the prince I've heard so many tales about." The dark-skinned lady hums in way of greeting. "Hello prince Chrom, my name is Aversa."

The prince hastily bows, forgetting for a moment that this lady is probably of lower rank than him, and judging by her smirk she recognizes his discomfort.

"I see you've been taking good care of Kestrel, though it would seem she no longer recognizes me." The lady says with a calm, but clearly suspicious tone in her voice.

"Kes…" Chrom trails off as he makes the connection. Robin… Kestrel...? Whatever; _she_ drew them a picture of a bird when Chrom finally got the message across that he was asking for her name. Not recognizing the drawing as any particular species, he'd assumed it was the most common bird-related name: Robin.

Apparently he was wrong. _Kestrel_ … that's going to take some getting used to.

"You know her?" Chrom asks, and then grimaces. "Or, well, _knew_ her. She seems to have been stricken with amnesia."

"I see." The lady sighs. "That certainly explains why she never returned from her diplomatic mission. That's a large reason why Gangrel has been so furious at Ylisse."

Huh. Chrom never considered _why_ Kestrel was in Ylisse. That certainly explains it. "She had no guard?"

"You've seen her fight. Does she look like she _needs_ a guard?"

"Fair point." Chrom acknowledges. He can't imagine petty brigands taking her down. "Were you her friend?"

"Adopted sister." Aversa corrects with a smile. "So if you ever hurt her…"

"She'll bash my head in?" Chrom jokes.

"Well, that too I suppose." The lady laughs.

"I think you're reading too much into our relationship though. We're friends at best."

"Of course." Aversa nods. A faint smile plays around her lips. "For now?"

Chrom shrugs rather inelegantly "I'll admit I never gave it any thought, being so wrapped up in the war and all…"

"Well then don't let me influence you, I've been told I tend to notice things that aren't there." She smiles. "The instincts of a gossip hound I suppose."

"Noted." Chrom says with a serious expression, and the lady lets out a loud laugh.

At this point Kestrel decides she's tired of being ignored, and firmly puts a hand on both of their shoulders to get their attention. Chrom gives her a sheepish grin to which she responds with a huff and a half-serious glare.

"Well, you're certainly less serious then you were before." Aversa says in a teasing tone and pokes Kestrel's cheek. The tactician rolls her eye to the sky, probably thinking both of them are poking fun at her.

"Sorry Kestrel." Chrom says as he tries to force down his smile.

Chrom spends the rest of the part hiding in a corner with Kestrel and Aversa, hoping to avoid the hassle his status as prince usually affords him. Lissa might thrive in such a social situation, but Chrom isn't a fan. Sure, he feels awkward fumbling through conversation with Kestrel as he (badly) tries to convey what he's saying with actions. He's comically inept compared to Aversa, who is clearly used to doing this.

The prince is fine with this though. Kestrel's company is infinitely preferable to those of other nobles regardless of communication issues, and watching Aversa poke fun at the usually stoic girl (and joining in himself!) is great fun.

Even when Kestrel decides she's had enough and pulls them both into headlocks, Chrom can't help but grin. (Emmeryn does scold him for being so unprofessional at a diplomatic party though)

* * *

 **A bit of a strange ending point, but this feels good enough. I was fully intending this to have the usual romantic plot but it never seemed to fit so I just left it out.**

 **For those curious, Global Aphasia is a certain type of Aphasia that can occur after traumatic brain injury or stroke (and for other reasons, but these seem to be the primary ones from what I can find) and is usually temporary. Rather than a total inability to communicate like I've shown, Global Aphasia (from my understanding) usually manifests as _extreme_ difficulty, though not total inability, to understand/produce speech, though reading/writing is usually impossible. It results from damage to the language centers of the brain and does not affect a person's abilities that aren't tied to language and talking and writing and such. If you want a more accurate and detailed** **idea of what aphasia is than what I've shown, there's a website for it (just search for "National Aphasia Association" I'd put a link but FF net doesn't like that).**

 **Just to repeat, this is** _ **not at all**_ **an** **accurate to actual Aphasia. I took liberal artistic license here to make the chapter more fun. No offense is intended to those who actually suffer some sort of aphasia, and I'm well aware Global Aphasia** _ **doesn't**_ **work as I've portrayed it here. I probably won't label this chapter as "Aphasic Robin" because it doesn't even** _ **attempt**_ **to be accurate.**

* * *

 **whitefri2z** **:** To be fair Pink Panther and Darkwing Duck are both before my time. I saw them on 'retro' channels when I was growing up, so that's how I know of them in the first place. I Can Swing My Sword struck me as being Chrom incarnate, so I just _had_ to include it.

 **Guest(x4)** **:** Okay, I'll get to watching some video on that at _some_ point, but just from that description it seems incredibly powerful.

Ying Yang is a concept I barely understand. Maybe I'll get around to doing research on it, but don't count on it.

I think Tobuscus still makes videos, but he's changed. Descendant of Ike poses a problem because I've never played Ike's games, so I'm vetoing that. Sorry. Serious Ninja Robin is fine.

Glad you like the collection! I'm personally a fan of the female Robin chapters as well, I think I'm just bad at writing male Robin. I think that's been suggested, but I'm not sure I've noted it down… hmm… I'll put it on the list if it's not already up there.

 **G** **:** That's a difficult request, but I'll put it up there. Don't expect it though.

 **Darkness is complete** **:** Yeah, that's already on the list under 'unlikely'. OP powers like that can be difficult to manage without shifting the focus _off_ combat so they don't trivialize the entire story.

I hope you know I appreciate your constant enthusiasm and creativity, even if I don't use your ideas all that often. You've thought up a few gems that I _will_ do and just haven't gotten around to yet.

 **CorEagle** **:** I was hoping the story gave off that impression! Wacky characters are seriously hard for me to write despite my tendency to exaggerate everyone's personality traits.

Hmm… I'll look into it. You might be right.

 **LoveGlutton** **:** Hey! Not sure if you've reached this chapter, but it was fun reading your occasional comments as you went through this collection!

 **Wrathie Winsre** **:** RobinXLucina has always been _weird_ to me. Maybe because of the inter-generational thing, maybe it's because I never paired them in my own playthroughs, or maybe it's because I could never really get invested in any RobinXLucina fanfic (and my main inspiration for how I write characters is _other fanfic_ so Lucina is a bit of a blank spot for me), but I was never really drawn to the pairing like so many others were. I'll try writing it _eventually_ , I want to touch on a lot of pairings for Robin, but it'll definitely be a struggle to write when I do get too it.

Lack of fluff? Yeah. I _love_ fluff, but keeping a limit of about 5000 words in a chapter means there isn't really space for it. Even in a romance chapter I have to put focus on Robin's quirk and the romantic arc has to be played with leaving little space for _proper_ fluff.

Stringcutter was my first attempt at an outlandish _combat_ ability, and what really drove home to me that I _suck_ at writing combat. I can't do action scenes for the life of me, it just devolves into people taking in the middle of battle. That said, Stringcutter is one of my _favorite_ powers in concept. Can't remember exactly where I got the idea, but you're right in thinking it isn't original.

Oh I understand. I spent a lot of my good ideas right at the start before I really started diving into requests. My personal favourites (Succubus, Mirroreye, Stringcutter, Hairweaver, Timesnap) are all within the first ten chapters, so I totally get it. I'm not sure if it's the time pressure or just that I've just run out of good ideas that lead to the decrease in quality…

I was going for that horror vibe! Yes! It worked! :D

Huh, I was worried that particular paragraph was too confusing and way too melodramatic. Guess not. Also yes, a lot of chapters aren't properly complete because proper completion would take way too many words or feel jarring if I tried to force it into one chapter. Not that it really _justifies_ how incomplete some chapters are, but all these chapters are little more than an amalgamation of snippets. (I tend to liken the reading of this collection to looking at the highlight reel of a dozen different movies. There's more than what you see, but I can't _make_ a dozen movies in a short time so I give you the parts that give you a basic understanding of the movie as a whole. That's what each chapter is: a highlight reel of a unwritten bigger story unique to that character that people are free to take inspiration from, or just use outright in their own stories).

Sorry for the digression.

The ending was weak? I usually considered that chapter one of the _stronger_ endings... If you don't mind me asking, where do you take issue or see a weakness? Does something feel rushed? Was the payoff not big enough for the buildup? Was someone acting out of character? Something else? I'm biased towards my own writing, so I can't see an issue that might be more visible to you.

No, please, write more. I love long comments. You'll definitely see more of this collection, _and_ of Varied Awakenings. I still have a massive list of others' (and still some of my own!) ideas to pull from, and I'm not tired of it yet!

Hope you stick around! I loved reading about your thoughts.


	43. Historian Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening or any of the songs I parody/use here, all rights to the owners.**

 **Minor: Dark Flier, Immortal, Boxer (Pugilist), Exploitive, Swordmaster, Angry Cinnamon Roll, Tripping, Perpetual Cheer, Chef, Blacksmith, Pegasus Knight, Teacher, Librarian, Masochist, Literal-Minded, Authoritative, Middle Age, Wyvern Rider, Phobia, Thicc, Tsundere.**

 **Standard: Elemental, Deaf, Foreign, Future sight, Tiny, Nurse/Medic, Valmese Tactician, Medusa, Amazon, Genderfluid, Gift from Validar + evil to good, Mind Control, Banshee, Dancer, Mimic, Emotionless, Crippling Overspecialization (Idiot Savant), Coward, ESP, POW, PTSD, Magician, Mute, Savage, Handicapped, Secret Helper, Crazy, Morpher, Dreamwalker, Motherly, Lich, Twins, Regenerating, Animal Whisperer, Naga/Tiki Assistant, Sleepless, Plant, Fairy, Deadly Touch, Mind Reader, Doppelganger, Arachne, D &D magic, Umbramancer, Horror Monster, Detective, No Sense of Personal Space, Shota, Dominatrix, Songstress, Kinky.**

 **Unlikely: Chrom's child, Minotaur, Paladin, Werewolf, Assassin, Future Soldier, Bounty Hunter, Weather control, Kleptomaniac, Druid, Steampunk, Shadow Familiar, Magic Augmentation, Lucky, Exile, Piper (Charmer), Gladiator, Witch Doctor, Centaur, Drunk, Demon, Punk, Harpy, Revenant, Luck Manipulation, Demon Summoner, Megalomaniac, Kitsune, King of Plegia, Mood Ring, Reverse Aging, Hammerspace, Prostitute, Demon Hunter, Cyborg, Maid/Servant/Butler, Deadlord, Rebellion, Einherjar, Trap, Yandere, Living Weapon, Size Shifter, Queen of Plegia, Gluttonous, Stretchy, Ninja, Alchemist, Protoss, Spirit Manipulation, Invisible, Plegian Honor Guard, Mecha, Kryptonian, Creator, Orc, Memory Stealing Respawn, Racer, Khan, Elder God, Misfortune, Vampire Hunter, Geokinetic, Imaginary Actualization, Death, Resurrection, Arachne, Force, Merchant, Background Music, Variable, Civilian, Natural Disaster, Mental Noise Projection, Hidden OP, Summoner, Cyclops, Teleporter, Cryokinetic, Genie, Judge, Intangibility, Fortune Teller, Future Vision, Serial Killer, Pervert, Stalker, Magic Fixit, Drakengard Restoration, Ying-Yang, Childhood Friend, Cyberpunk, Chrom's Mother, Obsessed, Berserker.**

 **Other: Pokemon Trainer, Self-insert, Second Generation replacement, Dimensional Walker, Cycle, Fates.**

 **Historian Robin, requested by Hoenn Master96.**

* * *

"Truly incredible…"

"Robin!"

"Don't you see Chrom? It's the old Plegian pincer maneuver!" The blonde-haired man says excitedly as he watches the group of bandits bearing down on their group. "Such a simple thing, but there are certain nuances that differentiate it from the old Ylissian version of the move! See, they're charging with their _archers_ as well, whereas Ylissians would prefer to keep them back-"

"Orders _now_ damnit!" Sully barks and slaps the man on the back of his head. "This is a battlefield, not a classroom!"

"Oh fine... lance units up front except Sumia! Virion, Miriel, take out those archers! Swords, axes, Sumia, prepare to flank when their front line hits ours!" Robin shouts. "Lances, no need to hold your ground! A fighting retreat is just as useful here!"

That gets Robin some odd looks, but the Shepherds don't question him. The tactician, scatterbrained as he is, knows what he's doing. A fighting retreat just allows the flanks to surround the enemy more fully because it draws the brigands further in, and the brigands are stupid enough to just run at the frontal troops and ignore those wrapping around the sides.

Lances are put up front for the simple reason that the length of their weapon makes it so the enemy will just run themselves onto the points without the Shepherds needing to do much at all.

And because these particular brigands aren't tactician geniuses, the plan goes off without a hitch. They rush in, the lancers slowly pull back, and the Shepherds on the flank charge in and the brigands are easily destroyed.

"See, now _that_ was a tactic originating with King Marth and his rebellion back in-"

"Yeah, yeah, great." Sully groans. "Captain! Come deal with _your_ tactician!"

"Excuse you! I'll have you know that while I was _hired_ by Chrom I am not his _personal_ tactician. I am tactician to the entirety of the Shepherds! Therefore, you cannot say I am _his_ tactician." Robin huffs. "But, now that you mention it in the War of Heroes there _was_ an instance of-"

"Chrom!" Sully moans as the blonde-haired man continues talking behind her. "Hurry up!"

###

"My dear Robin, for all your genius you are surprisingly uncreative." Virion chuckles as he takes the man's lord in their board game War of Worlds. "I understand your love for historic battle strategies, but _all_ tacticians have studied such plans! You will surprise no one if you play like that."

"I thought I could make it work." The man frowns. "I held the choke point, I wrapped around with the cavalry, I flanked from the mountains with my pegasus knights… and then you murdered everything anyways."

"What can I say? Minute positionings can make a large difference." The man chuckles. "Archers for the pegasus knights, mages for your main line, and armor knights and pikemen for the cavalry."

"I suppose my plan had _some_ success though." Robin muses as he looks at the board. "Despite your proper counters the cavalry cut deep into your lines, and my own mages did heavy damage on your balled up forces."

"Yes, well, I can hardly claim to be a perfect tactician myself." Virion shrugs. "But still, another point for innovation, and another ruined flag for tradition!"

"Not your best prose."

"Yes, well, I've used it all up…" The man coughs. "I spent most of my creativity today on my lovely retainer… well, _former_ retainer."

"The scary wyvern lady. Cherche, right?"

"Yes. I used all my wits to dazzle her again and again!"

"And how'd that go? I'd expect from the fact that you've presumably been doing this for _years_ and had no success that your fortunes didn't change today."

"How cold of you!" Virion huffs. "But… I cannot deny the truth of what you say. Noble Virion, archerst of archers, found no success once more."

"Well, I won't pretend I totally understand." Robin shrugs. "Romance isn't my thing, _but_ I have seen a bunch of the other Shepherds get involved with each other over the years…"

"Oh-ho! I and here I thought all their goings about went over your head." The archer chuckles. "During the war you seemed to care so little about their entanglements I assumed you were intentionally ignoring them."

"Yeah, well, I was focused on other things." The tactician waves it off. "I took more notice of them during the two year peace. It was curious to watch."

"To watch? Come now, surly a man such as yourself must have put himself into the ring once or twice."

"Once, at the suggestion of Lissa and Chrom." Robin admits. "Only once though. Like I said, Romance isn't something I care for _personally_. I'm fine how I am."

"Your first love will always be history, hmm?"

"Of course!"

"So then, what advice have you from your observations?"

"Less flattery. Less displays of affection. At least at the start."

"...you jest, surly."

"Nope. Totally serious." Robin grunts. "Coming on strong is just as bad as not displaying _enough_ interest. Lissa had the same problem as you."

"The princess? Truly?"

"Yeah. I mean, also because _Lon'qu_ is the man in question, and he's suspicious of _any_ compliments, but still. Too many compliments makes you look dishonest, or enamoured with an _ideal_ of the person rather than the person themselves."

"I… well alright then." Virion blinks. "My thanks Robin."

"Yeah. It's just a temporary thing though. I'm sure you've seen how Lissa unabashedly showers Lon'qu with affection of all sorts _now_ , but that comes _after_ trust is established. Without trust too many compliments are suspicious; _with_ trust it's usually just fine."

"And you developed this complex idea of how to form a relationship simply from watching them?"

"Well, I also read a bunch of psychology textbooks Miriel had lying around." Robin shrugs. "I was figuring out some stuff about myself with her help at the time. Turns out I'm aromantic and asexual. It was nice to finally put a name to those things. Chrom and I were worried there was something wrong with me for a while but no, it's just how I am, nothing to worry about."

"Ah, and this why you only went on the one date. You figured this out _afterwards_ I presume."

"Yep."

"If you don't mind me asking… who did you go with?"

"Gaius. Did you know Gaius can cook? And I don't just mean cakes, he makes a _mean_ roast chicken. Incidentally, he made a good cake too. He really went all out for me…"

"Are you still on good terms?"

"Yeah. I even helped him during the early stages with Olivia. He was a nervous wreck behind that confident facade, it was adorable."

"I'll take your word for it."

###

"Did you get it? Did you get it?" Robin asks excitedly as the thief, with a large backpack of sweets on his back, walks into camp. "Please tell me you got it!"

"Geeze, calm down Bubbles." Gaius chuckles as he digs the large book out of his backpack. It's otherwise filled with sweets, bags of sugar, and other ingredients for candy-making. "I promised I'd check the store, didn't I?"

Robin snaps up the book as soon as it's in reach and immediately starts looking through it. "Well I know, but we're only stopping here for a day and I'm still busy, and that store is _famous_ for its historical texts! If you hadn't gone I'd have to ask someone else-"

"But I did, so calm down already." The man snorts. "Damn Bubbles, you look like Nowi when I give her a candied apple…"

"Oooh, I want to read this so much, but I have to take inventory…" The man mutters and reluctantly shoves the giant book in his coat. It makes very noticeable bulge in the fabric. "Thanks Gaius."

"No problem. Just don't go messing somethin' up in a rush to read that thing." The thief snorts. "It's just a genealogy book Robin, not interestin' stuff."

"I beg to differ!"

"Of course you do..." He sighs and rolls his eyes. "You're a weird one Bubbles."

"Says the man who climbs _cliffs_ to get a pot of honey."

"I did that _once_!"

"Twice. The second time was for a fruit tree."

"...Panne told you about that?"

"Yep." Robin grins. "You remind me of a kid sometimes Gaius."

"Ah screw you…" He huffs, clearly embarrassed. The tactician can't help but laugh.

###

"No one understands me Chrom!" Robin says while sweeping his arm up to his head in a fake swoon. "Why don't the understand the many joys of history? The fascinating intricacies of royal lineages? The specialized battle tactics of days past?"

"I mean, it's not that most people _dislike_ history." Chrom says conversationally. "It's just that they mostly enjoy the _exciting_ parts."

"But _all_ history is exciting! Did you know that your great-great grandfather was a bastard child that _his_ father, your great-great-great grandfather, sired in a whorehouse on the coast of Valm?"

The prince's expression becomes like stone. "We're done talking about this."

"See?! You don't get it either!"

###

"Ooh…"

"Focus Robin."

"But this is the Demon's Ingle! Duma's remains!" The tactician whispers. "This is a place of great _history_."

"We're about to fight Say'ri's brother. You can at least show _some_ respect." Chrom says sternly.

"I mean… I know Chrom." The man sighs. "It's a reflex you know? History stuff is _calming_ , like singing a song."

"Don't do that either. Please."

"I won't… at least I have a plan. We can do this…"

"Of course we will. You haven't let us down yet." The Prince soothes. "You can tell me all about the historical inspiration afterwards."

"Really?!"

Chrom immediately regrets saying that. "Well, erm… yes. Fine."

"Alright!" Robin curls his fingers into a fist and punches the air forwards. "No way I can afford to lose now! I never have an audience!"

The prince sighs. "Glad you're inspired. Just get everyone through this alive."

###

"Dear tactician, please stop staring…" Virion coughs in mild embarrassment.

"I thought you liked attention." Robin says with a cheeky smile. "Besides, what's there to be embarrassed about? Minerva was just showing her affection."

The duke's hair is swept to one side, and covered in something that is clearly wyvern saliva. He looks absolutely ridiculous.

"Isn't that an improvement? Minerva didn't like you much before, right?"

"Well that is true…" Virion sighs. "How fared you today my friend? I hear Tiki had a word with you."

"Yeah! I asked her to find me when she had some free time because I had some questions to ask!" Robin says excitedly. "She's _really_ old! That means she was alive during the times some of my history texts are speaking about."

"You spent the entire afternoon asking the poor lady questions, didn't you?"

"Yeah!"

Virion shakes his head. "Only you my friend..."

"Oh _please_ , I'm nothing. You haven't seen Miriel on a good day yet."

* * *

 **Yeah, this works as an ending spot. Robin's character has been sufficiently showcased, and what little of a plot there is (Virion trying to woo Cherche) has been expanded upon. I'm satisfied.**

* * *

 **bwburke94** **:** Probably. There could be _several_ explanations: aphasia (global aphasia can be caused by brain damage from my understanding, so I won't list them separately), not having learned to speak/write Archanean for whatever reason, being mute and unable to write, probably some developmental disorders… there are very few things that can only have _one_ explanation.

Corrected. Thanks for the catch.

 **LoveGlutton** **:** Idol singer is a no, that would require a more modern setting. Tsundere is fine as a minor trait (though one that I usually dislike; there's a reason Severa is my third least favourite character in the game behind F!Morgan and Tharja) and Robin being Chrom's mother is certainly interesting, but difficult.

 **Wrathie Winsre** **:** When there's a _lot_ of something, some of it is bound to be good.

Buddy cop? I'm not even sure police are a _thing_ in the medieval ages… buddy… guard? No, that doesn't work, Chrom is a prince… hmm… I'm sure there's _something_ that could be done with it, but nothing comes to mind immediately. Requires a bit of work…

Yeah… it's a trade-off. I suppose I could make small scenes rather than showing the metaphorical highlight reel, but that's not the point of the collection.

Schedule? I suppose I do sorta consider it an obligation. Holidays notwithstanding I usually give myself a two week maximum between uploads, and on difficult chapters (Giantess Robin was a pain…) that time limit was a hassle. Also because I have three ongoing stories (this, Varied Awakenings, and Five Stars) stalling on one story means stalling on _all_ of them. I get what you're saying though. This isn't a job (yet), there's no need to push so hard. I also think it's just a matter of my using up my best ideas right away though. There's only one or two after the first ten chapters that I _really_ feel good about (Houndmaster comes to mind, I love that one. Also Consistent Amnesia). Most of them I like (a few exceptions. Grima, Replicate, looking at you) but few of them had that "I just wrote something great!" feeling.

Robin of the Pact was totally supposed to feel that way. I was worried Chrom would come off as pathetic rather than worried. I actually have no idea how the courtship would go if I _did_ write it.

Not quite sure I understand what you're saying, so let me ask: are you saying you think Robin _under-_ reacted to the proposal? That he should have been _more_ surprised?

I suppose I could move the "no offense" part, but if someone is going to _assume_ I meant offense without _actually reading the full author's note_ I can't very well say I _care_ what that person thinks. Besides, it's more important for people to know this isn't accurate than to know I meant no offense. Also, at some point it just becomes ridiculous to worry about putting a certain line five spaces above another or whatever. I've mentioned I meant no offense _twice_ , very explicitly, in _both_ author's notes.

Just… at what point does it become nitpicking, or political correctness gone mad, that I have to state I mean no offense _before_ I explain this is inaccurate rather than _after_? When I put it like that I think it becomes obvious how petty such minor differences are. It seems foolish to me that such small differences should actually be the cause of offense. It's like: "Oh no, I said Milord at the _end_ of the sentence rather than the _start_ , what a _scandal!_ "

Bah… sorry for the mini-rant. That sort of stuff frustrates me. People get up in arms about _everything_ these days, no matter how cautious you are. No offense to _you_ of course, I appreciate your concern! I just think it's a matter of nitpicking at that point.

I work better with extremes. I'm very, _very_ bad at subtleties. It's why Robin tends to be outlandish in some way or another. Super calm, super energetic, super aggressive… it's easier than doing something in the middle ground. That's also why Chrom tends to be easily flustered.

I _tried_ starting with the initial conversation, but I couldn't think of anything that worked. There are at least three unused drafts of me trying to do exactly that, and they ended up taking waaay too long. One of those attempts reached 2000 words before they even took a step towards Southtown.

Yeah, the hand signals are the artistic liberties I mentioned. Sign language is also known to be affected by Aphasia, but I needed _some_ way for Robin to be tactician, and hand signals aren't _proper_ language so much as they are the equivalent of extremely detailed _pointing at things_. So I figured they could get a pass.

Ah, no. I decided to make it something that that happened to her _before_ the amnesia. Hence why she has all the black armor and a cool mask, I figured it would be a subtle hint because no way Ylisse would have given her _black_ armor and a _black_ mask, they use blues and golds and whites mostly (no matter how _awesome_ black looks).

Chrom being dense is half the fun though! Also, it gives me an excuse to make Robin the aggressive one in the relationship, which is _soooo_ much easier. I never really got a handle on writing the _man_ as the one to take charge, so Chrom being dense plays to my strengths.

Nice to hear from you. Long comments are my favourite, it feels like having a proper conversation.

 **Guest(X2)** **:** Female Robin from the future with Lucina? Not quite sure that would work on account of future Robin being the doppelganger Grima we see in the last act of the game. Nymphomaniac Robin is a fun idea (though I think Angel Robin has you covered there).

 **CorEagle** **:** No, it's a fair point. If these were proper stories not having a serious conflict _would_ be a major issue. However, this collection is (to reuse a metaphor I used with Wrathie last chapter) like a series of highlight reels rather than a bunch of individual stories. I like to _imply_ a greater story in the hopes that it inspires others to think about what those stories could be (and write stories of their own!)

Go ahead, take as many ideas as you want as directly as you want.

 **G :** I haven't played any of those games. You'll need to explain. Berserker is fine though.


	44. Lich Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening or any of the songs I parody/use here, all rights to the owners.**

 **Minor: Dark Flier, Immortal, Boxer (Pugilist), Exploitive, Swordmaster, Angry Cinnamon Roll, Tripping, Perpetual Cheer, Chef, Blacksmith, Pegasus Knight, Teacher, Librarian, Masochist, Literal-Minded, Authoritative, Middle Age, Wyvern Rider, Phobia, Thicc, Tsundere, Damsel in Distress, Gangrel's Child.**

 **Standard: Elemental, Deaf, Foreign, Future sight, Tiny, Nurse/Medic, Valmese Tactician, Medusa, Amazon, Genderfluid, Gift from Validar + evil to good, Mind Control, Banshee, Dancer, Mimic, Emotionless, Crippling Overspecialization (Idiot Savant), Coward, ESP, POW, PTSD, Magician, Mute, Savage, Handicapped, Secret Helper, Crazy, Morpher, Dreamwalker, Motherly, Twins, Regenerating, Animal Whisperer, Naga/Tiki Assistant, Sleepless, Plant, Fairy, Deadly Touch, Mind Reader, Doppelganger, Arachne, D &D magic, Umbramancer, Horror Monster, Detective, No Sense of Personal Space, Shota, Dominatrix, Songstress, Kinky, Matchmaker.**

 **Unlikely: Chrom's child, Minotaur, Paladin, Werewolf, Assassin, Future Soldier, Bounty Hunter, Weather control, Kleptomaniac, Druid, Steampunk, Shadow Familiar, Magic Augmentation, Lucky, Exile, Piper (Charmer), Gladiator, Witch Doctor, Centaur, Drunk, Demon, Punk, Harpy, Revenant, Luck Manipulation, Demon Summoner, Megalomaniac, Kitsune, King of Plegia, Mood Ring, Reverse Aging, Hammerspace, Prostitute, Demon Hunter, Cyborg, Maid/Servant/Butler, Deadlord, Rebellion, Einherjar, Trap, Yandere, Living Weapon, Size Shifter, Queen of Plegia, Gluttonous, Stretchy, Ninja, Alchemist, Protoss, Spirit Manipulation, Invisible, Plegian Honor Guard, Mecha, Kryptonian, Creator, Orc, Memory Stealing Respawn, Racer, Khan, Elder God, Misfortune, Vampire Hunter, Geokinetic, Imaginary Actualization, Death, Resurrection, Arachne, Force, Merchant, Background Music, Variable, Civilian, Natural Disaster, Mental Noise Projection, Hidden OP, Summoner, Cyclops, Teleporter, Cryokinetic, Genie, Judge, Intangibility, Fortune Teller, Future Vision, Serial Killer, Pervert, Stalker, Magic Fixit, Drakengard Restoration, Ying-Yang, Childhood Friend, Cyberpunk, Chrom's Mother, Obsessed, Berserker, Phase Shift, Gravity Manipulation, Hallucinating, Bladesoul, Zombie, Double Entendre.**

 **Other: Pokemon Trainer, Self-insert, Second Generation replacement, Dimensional Walker, Cycle, Fates.**

 **Lich Robin, requested by a guest. I'll leave it to you if I gave this quirk the proper treatment. It's very much like Risen Robin, so I mostly used it as an excuse to write fluff, but the entire revival mechanic** _ **is**_ **relevant.**

* * *

If you had asked Chrom five months ago what he thought a lich looked like, he probably would have said something along the lines of a skeletal mage held together by dark magic, and evil to their core…

...and _not_ a short, dark-skinned, black and fuzzy haired, perfectly nice girl who is primarily a healer. Chrom is talking about Robin of course, and while she is a lich (she literally keeps her phylactery in a box next to her bed) you wouldn't be able to tell from looking at her that she's undead or technically a few hundred years old.

Well, Robin _assumes_ she's a few hundred years old. Her amnesia makes it a bit of a blank spot, but _Maribelle_ of all people managed to date Robin's cloak (which is too new to be as old as she is. The _style_ is what Maribelle is dating. on the assumption that Robin's former self got the same cloak made every time) to about four to five hundred years ago, so Robin just assumes she's four hundred and fifty.

That four hundred years of knowledge doesn't get brought up too often, but it shows in Robin's incredible breadth of medical know-how.

"Chrom, stay still."

This is not one of those situations. "I'm trying Robin."

"Stop squirmin', do ya _want_ this to go wrong?"

Chrom is just trying to distract himself from what he knows is going to happen. "No…"

"Stay still then. This'll take a few minutes." She scolds. "I've already numbed yer shoulder, calm down."

The prince forces himself to be still as the girl grabs his forearm and elbow, and starts to slowly rotate his arm around the shoulder and gives a series of small tugs at various points. Chrom can still feel a few lances of pain, despite the potent numbing powers of the sleep root paste that was applied a minute ago.

Unfortunately magic staves can only fix tears and breaks and such. They _reconstruct_ injured muscles and bones, but they don't put them back in place. Dislocations have to be dealt with the old fashioned way. Additionally, staves can sometimes heal skin and muscles and bones improperly if the joints are out of place, resulting in the medic having to cut improperly healed muscles and skin to move joints back into place. All medics, even Lissa, carry around a sharpened knife for this purpose exactly.

Thankfully Robin doesn't have to use the knife in this case. It's a dislocated shoulder, not an improperly healed shoulder. Chrom just hates that the heal staff can't be used here, because it's almost completely painless. Sleep root is effective, it's the most powerful anesthetic and numbing agent the medical community is aware of, but it's not magic

Chrom doesn't feel it when his arm pops back into its socket. He only realizes this because Robin has stopped moving it around. She reaches for her staff and finally heals up the torn muscles from the dislocated shoulder.

"There we go. Done." She sighs. "You and Vaike go _waaay_ too hard Chrom. It's just sparring."

"Hey, _Vaike_ is the one who dislocated _my_ shoulder." Chrom grumbles.

"Then don't spar with him."

"Then he complains."

"Oh no." Robin rolls her eyes. "How ever will he survive?"

Chrom smirks. "He can't. That's why I keep indulging him."

"Ha ha." The girl sighs. "Alright, get gone. I have work to do. Next time go bug Lissa."

"But Lissa mocks me, and you're nice." Chrom says cheekily. "And who wouldn't want to get patched up by a cute girl who _isn't_ their sister?"

If Robin wasn't undead, she's fairly sure she'd be blushing. "Sure, and what's the _real_ reason?"

"Lissa's back at the castle, and you're here in the barracks. You're way closer."

"Okay, fair enough."

###

Chrom sees it happen from the corner of his eye. The spear-wielding brigand sticks his weapon straight through Robin's chest. The girl staggers when the spear is pulled out of her; she weakly tries to shoot Thunder at her assailant but only a few sparks come out. She falls backwards onto the grass, unmoving.

The prince immediately disengages his own fight by kicking his foe in the chest. He charges headlong at the brigand with the spear, ignoring the other brigands he has to weave through to get there. With a roar he crashes into the offending man and impales him through the chest. Poetic justice wasn't high on Chrom's list of concerns, but the prince feels some grim satisfaction in dealing the man the same wound he gave to Robin.

Chrom then quickly moves to Robin's side and kneels next to her. He gently holds her head with one hand while moving her cloak aside with the other to inspect the wound.

"Chrom." The girl rasps. "I'm fine."

"You took a spear through the chest! That's not fine!" Chrom says in a panic. "Don't move, I'll get Lissa."

"Don't-" She coughs. Rather than spitting up blood, she expels a small cloud of black smoke. "Don't b-bother. I'll be gone by then."

"No you won't! Gods, that's _not_ fine Robin!"

"Calm down." She says, and then coughs again. "I'll revive in like t-two days ya goof."

"Oh! Oh…" Chrom says, feeling supremely foolish. "Right. You're a lich."

"Y-Yep." She says and closes her eyes. Dark smoke is starting to bleed from her chest wound and every time she speaks she's expelling a sizable cloud of it. "G-Grab my stuff would you?"

Robin goes limp a moment after, and her body dissipates into black smoke and leaves her equipment and belongings behind. Chrom takes a moment to breathe and stop the pounding of his heart. "Grab my stuff will you? Gods, what pathetic last words." He jokes quietly. The prince scoops up Robins stuff in both arms and quickly navigates his way off the battlefield to drop it with Emmet, who raises an eyebrow at him. "Just… put it in Robin's room when we get back. Also, get the clothes repaired."

"Sure." The quartermaster says.

Chrom redraws Falchion and makes his way back to the battlefield. His adrenaline is still pumping, and he takes his frustration out on the rest of the brigands.

###

Being dead is boring.. Robin sees nothing but darkness for hours and hours until she revives, with nothing to do but wait and think.

Well, that's _usually_ how it is. See, when a lich is 'dead' their soul actually goes back to their phylactery, and they see and hear through _it_ until their body is remade. Robin was fully expecting nothing to happen until she revived, but she didn't count on Chrom _still_ being and over-emotional dork.

The box containing her phylactery is picked up, and Robin can hear deep breathing from the other side. The lock clicks and the box opens, and sunlight pours into Robin's vision blocked somewhat by Chrom looking in on her.

Chrom for his part just sees a well-cut but otherwise unremarkable ruby. Carefully he reaches into the box and extracts the gem, handling it with care. The prince stares down at the gem in his hands. This thing is Robin's _life_ , and it looks so fragile even though Chrom knows rubies are hardly frail.

"You're really okay?" Chrom whispers and rubs his thumb over the gem's surface. "I mean, I've never seen this happen before. I'm nervous. I know it's only been a day and you said two, but… I don't know. I saw you _die_ , I think I'm in my right to be worried."

The prince glares right at the gem, totally unaware that Robin can actually see and hear him.

"You owe me for all this stress." He says jokingly to the gem. "And you better be thankful I'm doing all your paperwork for you!"

The prince sighs and relaxes a bit. He really just came here to vent his fears.

"Ah, I'm being foolish." He mutters. "See you tomorrow Robin. Don't keep us waiting."

He puts the gem back in the box, carefully locks it, and puts the key back in it's hidden compartment on the the bottom of the box. Robin's vision fades to black, and when Chrom's footsteps fade from her hearing she's left without stimulus once again.

###

"Chrom, I'm-"

The girl is cut off by the prince throwing himself across the room and pulling her into a hug. She's lifted nearly a foot off the ground due to the height difference between herself and Chrom.

"Good ta see ya too." She squeaks in surprise. The girl gives a weak wave to Frederick who is also in the room, and the man nods back at her.

"Don't you _dare_ do that again." The prince growls.

"Well, it didn't exactly _plan_ ta…" Robin had intended to be snarky, but she trails off when she sees Chrom's intense expression. "Sorry." She says meekly instead. "I was caught off guard, I was focusin' on Sumia because she was takin' on two people at once."

"That is no excuse." Frederick admonishes. "We expect better in the future."

Robin nods weakly in response. "O' course, sorry." Chrom puts her back down, and she quickly fixes her coat while trying to hide her embarrassment. "So, uh, Chrom…"

"Yes?"

"What do I owe ya?"

"Pardon?" The prince blinks.

"Yoa said I owed yoa for the stress." Robin clarifies. "I mean, I assume that was a joke, but-"

"You heard that?!" Chrom says in shock.

"Uh, yeah. I can hear and see through my phylactery when mah body is gone."

"You should have told me!" Chrom says insistently. "It must be horrible!"

"Well it's sorta borin'-"

"I won't allow that to happen again." The prince says intensely. "I'll find a way to keep you entertained next time."

"That really ain't necessary."

"Irrelevant." Chrom huffs. "If there is something I can do to help, I _will_ do it."

"Oh, well…" Robin is a bit flustered. "Thanks?"

"Milord, I hate to interrupt." Frederick murmurs. "But the Exalt requested our presence as soon as Robin was restored."

"Right, right." Chrom sighs. He still looks a bit antsy. "Lead the way Frederick."

The knight raises an eyebrow at the odd request, but does as he's asked. He steps out of the room first, and Robin moves to follow but is stopped by Chrom planting an arm against the doorframe in front of her.

The prince leans over her. It would almost be intimidating if his expression weren't so earnest and concerned. That said, he's still a good foot taller than her so his presence is rather _overpowering_ for Robin at the current moment.

"You had me worried you know." Chrom breathes quietly. "I saw you take a spear to the chest, and even if I knew you'd be alright afterwards I couldn't get it out of my mind."

"Really?" Robin responds in a whisper. If she weren't undead she imagines she'd have goosebumps up her arms right now and a blush on her face. Her mind at the very least is moving at an all-out sprint trying to process the situation. "Well sorry for the stress."

"Next time you should stay close to me." Chrom says in a low rumble as he stares her right in the eye. "I'll keep you safe."

"Strategy don't always allow for that Chrom." The girl says. She's fighting to keep her voice even, though the way she's slightly leaning back probably gives away her nervous excitement. "I 'preciate the sentiment."

"Then change your strategy." The prince urges. "I _want_ to protect you."

There's silence as Robin processes that declaration. Her hands grasp her cloak tightly, her feet shift on the floor, and her eyes flick from Chrom's to the wall and back to him.

Frederick's voice is what breaks the pause. "Milord?"

"Coming Frederick." Chrom says without moving. In a quiet voice he says to Robin. "And you _are_ fine? _Nothing_ is wrong?"

"O' course." She breathes.

"Alright then." He pulls back so he's not leaning over her. "Let's go."

Chrom leaves the room, and Robin takes a moment to compose herself. It's not everyday she gets a declaration of protection like that… well, this might be the _only_ such declaration she's ever gotten. It's not like she remembers anything past six months ago.

She shakes her head vigorously, and then steps out into the hall with the others. Frederick raises an eyebrow at seeing her hair all messy, and shoots a question glance at his liege, but says nothing and leads the way.

###

"He's treating me like a child…" Robin huffs as she parries the strike sent her way.

"I beg to differ." Frederick mutters. "You foot is too far forwards, your wrist is too twisted."

Robin quickly fixes the issues the knight pointed out. "Frederick, he literally carried me 'cross the battlefield because I gotta _scratch_."

"Indeed; and if he thought you a child he would never have allowed you on the field of battle in the first place." The knight says. He suddenly kicks at her shin, and she backsteps to avoid it. "That was an opportunity to counterattack. Stay alert."

"What _is_ it then Frederick?" The girl asks. She tentatively stabs at the man with her sword and draws back when the knight brings his practice lance around in a wide swing.

"And here I though no one could be more dense than Milord himself." Frederick sighs. "You are hundreds of years old, how is it you cannot see the obvious?"

"What? What's obvious?"

Frederick shakes his head. "After this, go ask Milord yourself."

"Fine…"

###

"Chrom!" The tactician calls to the Prince as she peers into his office. "Can I talk to ya?"

"Sure." The prince says and rises from his desk. "What is it?"

"I need to ask ya something…"

"What is it?"

"Why do ya treat me like a child now?" She huffs. "Seriously Chrom, ever since I revived that one time ya treat me like I'm glass. _I'm undead_ , I can _revive_. That's the _opposite_ of what ya should be doin' after ya find out someone can come back to life!"

"I do _not_ treat you like glass." He says defensively. "I just don't want you to have to go through the revival process again…"

"I appreciate that, but seriously Chrom. I got a _scratch_ and you carried me across the whole battlefield." The tactician scolds. "While ya had an arrow in your hip! I'm a _healer_ , ya only had to stop for five seconds!"

"I was serious when I said I'd protect you." The man says stubbornly. "I'm a man of my word."

"You're a moron."

"You sound just like Lissa."

"Lissa must be more sensible than I thought."

Chrom takes two large steps forwards until he's standing a few inches away from her, looking down at her with a familiarly intense expression. "Robin."

"Chrom."

"I want to keep you safe."

"I assumed as much, and I'd hope that goes for _all_ the Shepherds."

"It does, but you especially." Chrom says with absolute seriousness. "I care for you Robin."

The prince is intentionally not using the obvious term for what he feels. It's not that he doesn't know what he's feeling, he's very aware, it's that he has no idea what _Robin_ thinks because her reactions tend to be very muted. Even now she's done little more than blink in mild surprise, and Chrom doesn't know if she's actually having such a minor reaction or if her emotions just aren't obvious to him.

"I see." She says. "I see… you're still a fool."

"I suppose I am."

"Ya really shouldn't put me above others."

"I know."

"Then why?"

"I can't help myself."

"Chrom… it sounds very much like ya have an obsession."

"I do, in a sense."

"What sense?"

"Are you going to make me say it Robin?" Chrom asks sharply.

"Say what?" Robin asks, genuinely confused. Chrom is giving her an intense look, and it's making her very nervous. "Chrom?"

"Gods Robin, I haven't exactly been subtle." The man groans. "What do _you_ think?"

"Uh…" Robin's mind is racing. What is she missing? He's highly protective, a bit obsessed, overly concerned… "You're… lonely?"

Chrom's expression morphs into disbelief. "You're joking, right?"

"No?"

"Maybe this will clear things up." A hand goes around the back of Robin's head, and Chrom pulls her into a quick kiss.

Robin, of course, is busy panicking. Now that she realizes what this means, all of Chrom's actions seem so obvious. Gods, no wonder Frederick said she was dense! What does she do?!

" _Okay, calm down, think_." Robin tells herself as Chrom pulls away. She doesn't _dislike_ this, so that's something. Chrom is a good person. She _likes_ Chrom, even if he tends to overreact. It's endearing in a way. "I… uh…"

"Sorry for being so sudden." The prince says, and takes a few steps back from her. He's suddenly become conscious of the fact his stance might have been taken as intimidation rather than determination. "So, erm… I hope that makes things clear."

"You're in love with me." Robin squeaks. "Right?"

"Yes." Chrom says with absolute certainty.

The tactician swallows thickly. "Ya do remember I'm undead, right?"

"Yes."

"I'll be cold to the touch, I won't age alongside you, and I can't have kids." She warns.

"I know." Chrom says. "I've had time to think this through, and I don't care. Do you?"

That's the question, isn't it? Does she care? Is she open to a relationship with someone she knows will be temporary? That's she'll outlive by a long, _long_ time?

Perhaps her reasoning is a bit pragmatic more than romantic, but she'd rather not be alone for the rest of her existence. That inevitably means she'll far outlive any companion, but… that's preferable to never having love at all. Besides, she could hardly ask for someone better than Chrom.

"I suppose I don't." She whispers. Robin gives the prince a nervous smile. "I'll admit I have no idea what ta expect here…"

"That's fine, neither do I to be honest." Chrom says with an easy grin. He extends a hand to her, which she takes. "We can figure it out. It will be fine. After all, Lissa tells me half the camp think we already have a relationship anyways."

"Wh-What?!"

"Apparently my overreaction on the battlefield didn't go unnoticed." The prince coughs sheepishly. "So I don't think we have to worry about others being opposed to us."

"That reminds me, you're going to have to stop treating me like glass on the battlefield! I can _revive_ Chrom!"

"But then you won't be _here_." The prince huffs. He pulls her into a hug. "And I happen to _like_ having you around."

"You're a dork Chrom."

"Love you too."

Robin hides her face in his chest from embarrassment. _That_ is going to take some getting used to.

* * *

 **Like I said, not the most quirk-centric chapter, but the quirk isn't irrelevant either. Also, I think I've mentioned this before, but I have difficulty writing romance where the guy is the assertive one, so I hope I did it somewhat well this chapter.**

* * *

 **Invisible Prince** **:** She's a sadist. That's literally the only reason. If it weren't for that, I would be fine with her.

He probably will. It's just that I tend to do romance with Female Robin, and a kid tends to ruin the mood so I don't include him very often.

Yes, I have! You'll see that at some point. I'm trying to find a good chapter for it, but every attempt so far has either been boring, hard to balance that and the quirk, totally irrelevant, or definitely needs an M rating.

 **G** **:** Okay, so what I'm hearing is: Phaseshift, Gravity Manipulation, Constant Hallucination, Soulbound Weapon, and Zombie. Is that about right?

 **Guest** **:** How many double entendres do you think I can make up? I'll put it on the list though.

 **Wrathie Winsre** **:** I suppose it could be seen as a bad stereotype, but that argument could also be made for Bow Knight Robin where someone could say "you made a gay character a jerk, that reflects badly on all gay people!" and it would mean I couldn't write gay characters except in a _very specific way_. So sure, maybe it is a stereotype, I don't know but I also don't _care_ because it was fun to write him that way. The problem comes when people are actually stupid enough to _believe_ stereotypes; and I can't do anything about stupid people, that's on them.

That example was something I remember from history class. I can't remember the exact battle, something from ancient Greece, but it's actually supposed to be used in a choke point.

Virion to me is that character that Robin would logically get along with because their both tacticians and while indeed a bit of a flirt, Virion is _very_ much an honest and kind person. He's my go-to for when Robin needs a friend outside of Chrom.

What's wrong with Gaius? D:

I threw that scene in there just to show off how absurd Robin actually is. I see it had the desired effect. Also, that's not really a _title_ so much as it is a quick description.

Eh, it happens. There are dry spells in the quality of fics that come out. I miss the days of when I was just getting into fanfic and I could binge the archive to find good ones. Now I've exhausted most of the good ones and have to wait for new good things to come out rather than looking for them.

Matchmaker? Huh, I've seen that in a few other fics, now that you mention it I'm surprised no one brought it up.

That's fair. I'm graced with a large amount of free time, so I can pump out chapters fairly regularly. It won't last forever though…

As mediocre as it was I actually like Replicate. Mostly because it's romance, also because it helped me flesh out my headcanon that Chrom's denseness is actually because his father was a _terrible_ role model and drilled into his head the idea that he should _never_ let women distract him from his job which naturally means Chrom has zero idea what to do in romantic situations, and is intensely self-repressed when it comes to physical attraction. So yeah, it was a mediocre chapter, but I love it.

Maybe. I can't say, I have no idea how that would go if I _tried_ to write it.

The idea of having him be taken aback was supposed to be a moment of Emmeryn _finally_ being the one to fluster Robin rather than the other way around. Also, it's a _proposal_ ; even the most stoic people can be caught off guard or overcome by emotion in regards to that. At least, that was my logic at the time.

Yeah, social media is a hassle…

I could try writing that at some point. I think 'ladies man Chrom' would just be straight OOC though, so maybe just not-stammering-mess Chrom and damsel in distress Robin.

Too bad! Tvtropes is life!

Glad to hear from you as always!

 **Cyberchao X** **:** Hey there, you finally caught up? I've been reading your comments as you went through the chapters.

So first: I'll note down your idea (Gangrel's child), but it's a rather minor change so don't expect it to have the spotlight.

Second… you say "And now you see the problem that men have." as if I'm not male myself. :P Social expectations nowadays are a mess, social justice is taking five steps forward and five steps back at the same time, and NO ONE knows what's going on. I don't know what to tell you, I'm just as lost.

Jumping a bit to your earlier comments…

Ah, right, Manakete Robin. You're correct, she looks like a little girl (like Nowi). I see how that could be seen as disturbing. Shotacon and Lolicon tend to rub people the wrong way. My personal philosophy is that people can be into _whatever_ they want so long as they're responsible in the real world. People have some _strange_ kinks (like literal torture), but they're fully entitled to those interests as long as they keep their real-world actions acceptable.

Nothing else for me to say. Hope to keep hearing from you, and I hope you enjoyed most of the chapters.


	45. Wild Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening or any of the songs I parody/use here, all rights to the owners.**

 **Minor: Dark Flier, Immortal, Boxer (Pugilist), Exploitive, Swordmaster, Angry Cinnamon Roll, Tripping, Perpetual Cheer, Chef, Blacksmith, Pegasus Knight, Teacher, Librarian, Masochist, Literal-Minded, Authoritative, Middle Age, Wyvern Rider, Phobia, Thicc, Tsundere, Damsel in Distress, Gangrel's Child.**

 **Standard: Elemental, Deaf, Foreign, Future sight, Tiny, Nurse/Medic, Valmese Tactician, Medusa, Amazon, Genderfluid, Gift from Validar + evil to good, Mind Control, Banshee, Dancer, Mimic, Emotionless, Crippling Overspecialization (Idiot Savant), Coward, ESP, POW, PTSD, Magician, Mute, Savage, Handicapped, Secret Helper, Crazy, Morpher, Dreamwalker, Motherly, Twins, Regenerating, Animal Whisperer, Naga/Tiki Assistant, Sleepless, Plant, Fairy, Deadly Touch, Mind Reader, Doppelganger, Arachne, D &D magic, Umbramancer, Horror Monster, Detective, No Sense of Personal Space, Shota, Dominatrix, Songstress, Kinky, Matchmaker.**

 **Unlikely: Chrom's child, Minotaur, Paladin, Werewolf, Assassin, Future Soldier, Bounty Hunter, Weather control, Kleptomaniac, Druid, Steampunk, Shadow Familiar, Magic Augmentation, Lucky, Exile, Piper (Charmer), Gladiator, Witch Doctor, Centaur, Drunk, Demon, Punk, Harpy, Revenant, Luck Manipulation, Demon Summoner, Megalomaniac, Kitsune, King of Plegia, Mood Ring, Reverse Aging, Hammerspace, Prostitute, Demon Hunter, Cyborg, Maid/Servant/Butler, Deadlord, Rebellion, Einherjar, Trap, Yandere, Living Weapon, Size Shifter, Queen of Plegia, Gluttonous, Stretchy, Ninja, Alchemist, Protoss, Spirit Manipulation, Invisible, Plegian Honor Guard, Mecha, Kryptonian, Creator, Orc, Memory Stealing Respawn, Racer, Khan, Elder God, Misfortune, Vampire Hunter, Geokinetic, Imaginary Actualization, Death, Resurrection, Arachne, Force, Merchant, Background Music, Variable, Civilian, Natural Disaster, Mental Noise Projection, Hidden OP, Summoner, Cyclops, Teleporter, Cryokinetic, Genie, Judge, Intangibility, Fortune Teller, Future Vision, Serial Killer, Pervert, Stalker, Magic Fixit, Drakengard Restoration, Ying-Yang, Childhood Friend, Cyberpunk, Chrom's Mother, Obsessed, Berserker, Phase Shift, Gravity Manipulation, Hallucinating, Bladesoul, Zombie, Double Entendre, Shared Body/Two Souls.**

 **Other: Pokemon Trainer, Self-insert, Second Generation replacement, Dimensional Walker, Cycle, Fates.**

 **Wild Robin. Based roughly off the suggestion for a 'Savage' Robin by Guest.**

 **Also, this chapter should illustrate why I usually don't write first encounters. They take up a lot of space and words, but not a lot necessarily happens. I want to show you all this at least once so you understand why I don't do them.**

* * *

It's often said by attempted settlers and scholars alike that the Fey Jungle is untameable. The flora and fauna there are some of the most diverse in the known world, as well as some of the most _dangerous_ in the known world. There are trees that eat people, flowers that can turn you into a mindless puppet, giant snakes that spew poison in the air as they bind their prey to stop others from getting close, and the feared dire bear that can knock down a tree and has hide so tough it has been compared to steel.

There have been many a book written that fantasizes about taming the jungle, but the simple fact is that there is still much not known about the flora and fauna. Every time some scientist braves the jungle they find something new, and usually something deadly. Some like to blame the dead scientists as being the fault of Plegia, as the Fey Jungle is part of the border and is technically shared territory, but Chrom knows better. The Fey jungle is no fit place to fight, it's more likely for you to alert something dangerous to come kill you.

So Chrom is understandably nervous at having to traverse the jungle to weed out some bandits that have been harassing Ylissian farming villagers. Travelling through the jungle is already terrifying, but fighting in it is a terrible idea… and that's exactly what the Shepherds are going to have to do.

"Careful everyone!" Frederick barks as he points to one of the trees positioned to the side of the path. "That is a hangman tree! Be wary of any vines on the ground, they might be traps to snare you. Push them away with your weapons if they impede your path!"

Everyone nervously skirts to the other side of the path to put as much distance between them and the tree as possible. Sumia uses her spear to poke aside some vines which suddenly snap back to the tree and startle everyone.

"I hate this place already." Lissa mumbles as she clutches her staff. "Even the trees try to kill you."

"I know Lissa. Just stay close." Chrom says with a grimace. "We're going to get this done and get out as quickly as possible."

They group continues their tentative walk down the path. Everyone is shaken by the hangman tree and is now suspicious of every twig or vine along their path. They still haven't seen a bandit or any sign of human activity beyond the fact that this path exists which is slightly worrying. They don't want to be going through all this danger just to find out they took a wrong path.

"Hold." Frederick suddenly holds up a hand to halt the rest of the Shepherds. "I saw something in the trees. It was large."

Chrom apprehensively looks up into the canopy. Large leaves sway gently in the breeze, alternatively blocking and allowing the sunlight to filter down to them.

Then a figure leaps across the prince's sightline. It bounds from one tree to another, latching to branches with great dexterity. A pair of yellow eyes stare back at Chrom a moment later, matching his gaze.

"There." Chrom says, pointing a finger at the eyes. "I see something."

"I see something." The prince's own voice echoes back at him. "There, something I see."

"What's that?" Lissa squeaks.

"That's what?" The figure responds back in Lissa's voice. The way it reorganizes words sounds slightly unnatural because it keeps the same intonation on each word as what Lissa said originally.

"Alright, what the hell?" Sully grunts. "Hey! Get down here!"

"Alright, get here!"

"No, you come _here_!"

"No! What's that?" This time Sully's voice is intermingled with Lissa's, and it's really creepy.

"Milord, perhaps we should move on." Frederick advises. "We cannot stop to converse with this _thing_."

"Hey! Thing." The figure says. It finally steps onto a branch where Chrom can get a good look at them. The prince was expecting something alien, maybe a parrot-like being. Instead he sees… a… uh...

What _is_ that?

They're humanoid, with greenish-blue skin, eyes with diamond-shaped pupils, faint grey sclera, and yellow irises. Their navy blue hair is matted and long, and interwoven with a number of flowers. They also have a long, thin, tail which is coiled around the branch they're standing on, and wear a loincloth made of what looks like long strands of dead grass.

They are also, based on appearance, male.

"Hey!" The boy barks in Sully's voice. Then in Chrom's he says. "I see something."

"Does he actually understand us?" Sumia asks nervously.

"Understand you he does." Again the boy mixes voices. This time Sumia and Sully. "I see something."

The boy points off into the brush behind him, which is to the left of the path the Shepherds are following.

"Something." He says. At this point Chrom has come to understand that this boy can only mimic other people. The boy points at the Shepherds and whispers "You get."

"I think not." Frederick scoffs.

"I think you get." The boy repeats.

"Were these 'something' like us?" Chrom asks, recognizing the chance to get some information. "Like us but more dirty?"

The boy nods.

"See Frederick? He's talking about the bandits." The prince says. Looking back up at the boy he asks. "Do you know a safe way to get there?"

The boy nods again. He leaps down from his spot in the trees to land right next to the prince. Chrom is surprised to see that the boy is actually quite a bit taller than he expected. Maybe calling him a 'boy' isn't accurate, he's looks like an adult from up close.

"Here." The boy says. He bats aside some of the foliage and takes a few steps in before glancing at them to make sure they're following. No one else is super eager to follow this turquoise-skinned jungle man, so Chrom takes the initiative and starts walking after him.

Despite Frederick's obvious suspicion, nothing ill happens to the Shepherds from following the man. He deftly navigates the waist-high shrubbery, and occasionally bats away certain plants with his tail.

The most surprising moment has to be when he stops in front of a tree, growls, and lashes out with his tail. The bark-colored snake that had been camouflaged there is efficiently killed by the spike through its head.

A spike, mind you, that apparently protrudes from the end of Robin's tail. Even as Chrom watches the spike retracts back into the skin at the end of the tail, hiding itself once more.

The man _does_ lead them to bandits though. He puts his fingers up to his lips in a 'shush' motion when they get close, and pulls back a large leaf just a bit so Chrom can see past into a clearing.

The bandits are all crowded around a fire pit, and some of them don't look so good. One of them looks like he has an infection in his arm because the skin is turning purple, and another looks very ill judging by the way he's hunched over.

Apparently the jungle hasn't been nice to them. They should have known better than to try and operate out of the Fey Jungle of all places.

The man taps Chrom on the shoulder. He points to himself, then to the trees up high. He leaps up in the air, silently latching on a branch, and makes his way up into the canopy above the men.

Chrom waves up the Shepherds, and they carefully spread out around the opening while hiding behind large leaves.

From above the man gives Chrom a signal, and the Shepherds all rush in at once. The man leaps down from above, with the spike of his tail piercing the skull of the bandit's leader in the first few seconds of the fight.

Despite being even in numbers, the bandits are disorganized. The fight is a incredibly one-sided.

###

"Milord…"

"I know Frederick."

"Are we actually going to allow this?"

"Why not? He helped us out."

"We cannot take in every stray you find Milord."

"Sure we can. It's worked out so far."

The knight sighs. "He needs proper clothes then."

"Yes, uh… right. Emmet!"

"What?"

"Find some clothes for… uh… the tail guy!"

The quartermaster raises an eyebrow but doesn't argue. "Sure."

"He really needs a name…" Chrom grumbles.

"Well it's not like he could tell us if he had one." Frederick grumbles.

"No had one." The man chirps.

"Alright then, I suppose we need to give him one then." Chrom says, glancing around. He settles on a red-breasted bird sitting in one of the trees nearby. Thankfully they're _out_ of the Fey Jungle by this point, so it's just a normal bird. "How about… Robin?"

"Robin." Robin mimics.

"I think 'Parrot' fits better!" Vaike calls from the back.

Robin's eyes narrow.

"Yeah no, we're sticking with 'Robin'." Chrom coughs.

###

"And this is Robin." Chrom says as he gestures to the man standing next to him.

"I'm Robin!" Robin says in a combination of Chrom and Sumia's voice. Over the course of travelling with them to Ylisstol he's picked up enough words to have proper conversations, but his grammar is still a bit off and the fact that every sentence he says mashes together the voices of several people is fairly unnerving. "You are the Exalt, Emmeryn."

"Indeed, I greet you Robin." The lady says with a polite bow of her head.

Robin mimics the action and parrots back "I greet you, Emmeryn."

"He aided us in dispatching the bandits from the Fey Jungle." Chrom explains. "And wished to join us afterwards."

"Well, it would seem Ylisse owes you a dept Sir Robin." Emmeryn says with a smile. "Ylisstol is perhaps quite different from the Fey Jungle, but I hope you can find your home here for however long you wish to remain."

Robin bows again.

###

"Again." Frederick says as Robin pulls himself to his feet. The knight levels his practice sword. "Once more. Keep your guard up."

Training for Robin is a difficult process. He's used to using his tail and the natural dangers of the jungle to fight, not a proper weapon. It's a hassle to not be able to jump around and grab trees and branches and such.

Also, these clothes are annoying. Why does he have to wear shoes? Why does he have to wear this leather armor? Why can't he just run around like normal.

"Focus Robin!" Frederick barks as he swats the man in the arm with his wood sword. "Sword _up_ , eyes on _me_."

"Focus Robin." Robin mimics sarcastically under his breath. "Sword _up_ , eyes on _me_."

"I heard that."

###

Robin blinks owlishly at the book Maribelle hands him. "Story?"

"No, not a story." The noble huffs. " _That_ is a book of everything a noble needs to know. It involves chapters on laws, economics, and most importantly: etiquette."

Robin makes a face, but opens the book. He pauses and says. "Words?"

"Yes, those are words." Maribelle says with a roll of her eyes.

"I can't read."

Maribelle stares at him for a second, then sighs and massages the bridge of her nose. "Right, of course you can't. We shall put your etiquette lessons on hold. Being able to read is an _essential_ skill."

Robin grimaces. Great, now he has to deal with Maribelle for even _longer_.

###

"Cordelia!" Sumia's voice calls from outside the red-haired girl's tent tent. "Can I talk with you for a second?"

"Of course." Cordelia calls. She's currently in the process of making a new spear handle. "Come in."

She's rather startled when it's _not_ Sumia that walks in, but Robin.

"Wha- oh, erm, hello Robin." The pegasus knight coughs. She's not the only one who has been startled by having Robin appear instead of the person they thought they were talking too. "What is it?"

"I need advice." Robin says, still speaking in Sumia's voice. "Can you help me?"

"Alright..." If Cordelia sounds unsure, that's because she is. She doesn't interact with Robin all that much. "What do you need advice on?"

"I heard you're smart." This time Robin's voice bounces between multiple people as usual.

"Well, I wouldn't say that's _un_ true." She coughs.

"Can you help me be smart?" Robin asks. For a moment Cordelia thinks he's making a joke, but the look on his face is genuine.

"You _are_ smart." Cordelia says. "You didn't become our tactician by being a fool."

"Maybe." The blue-haired boy hums. "But this world make no sense to me."

"Isn't Maribelle teaching you?"

"She's teaching me to read and how to walk funny."

Okay, so maybe _Maribelle_ isn't the most helpful to a person who knows almost nothing about the modern world. "I suppose I could help…"

"Really?!" Robin ask eagerly voice. "Can you explain money to me? Can you explain farming? Can you teach me to cook with the plants people use here? I don't recognize them."

"S-Sure."

"Thanks Cordelia!" He chirps in Sumia's voice.

The pegasus knight vaguely wonders what she's gotten herself into.

###

Robin favors the quarterstaff as a weapon, but that's not the most practical on the battlefield. Instead he has to settle for a spear. His tail provides a massive advantage over other people due to it effectively being another weapon that an enemy has to defend against at no disadvantage to Robin.

Also, when given the correct terrain, Robin easily becomes their best fighter. Thick shrubbery and and lots of trees is no hindrance to someone who can leap from branch to branch and strike from above. Even his skin color, the turquoise, can occasionally provide camouflage. Robin was absolutely insistent on his leather armor being painted green to help with stealth.

That stealth is problematic when he doesn't want to be found.

There's something else the others didn't quite realize about Robin until a dozen minutes ago: he's always on alert. Living in a jungle where half the flora and most of the fauna will try to kill you, Robin has incredible reflexes… and impulsively strikes out when he feels something slimy on the back of his neck.

It was just a frog, but Robin didn't know that. His tail had snapped out, spike extended, and stabbed Lissa through the stomach before she had a chance to react.

Robin had thought it was the tongue of some predator. He struck before even turning around, and was horrified to see that he'd impaled one of his friends after he did.

Lissa is alive. Maribelle responded quickly to the shouting and rushed over with a heal staff, and Robin hadn't hit anything too vital like the heart or spine so Lissa was even still _conscious_ when the troubadour got there.

Robin doesn't know that though. He bolted _immediately_ , and now Cordelia has to try and find him.

"Robin!" The red-haired girl calls out into the greenery. She's been out here several minutes already. "Robin, are you here?"

There's no response. A few birds chirp in the trees, totally oblivious to the stress of the people around them. Cordelia doggedly walks on, keeping her eyes glued to the forest canopy above her.

"Lissa is fine Robin!" Cordelia shouts, hoping the assurance will draw him out. "Please come out Robin!"

"No." The voice is Chrom's, but there's no way it's anyone but Robin. "That's a bad idea."

"Don't be absurd." The pegasus knight says firmly. She's looking around carefully now; Robin should be within her sightline even if he's hard to spot. "You protected yourself on reflex, you come from a dangerous place. The others will understand."

"Irrelevant!" He barks in Frederick's voice. "If it is a danger, it must be dealt with!"

"Now you're just being irrational." Cordelia huffs. "Come out, stop hiding."

"No."

Finally Cordelia spots the man perching between some branches to her left. She makes sure not to look directly at him so he won't run off. "Robin, trust me. I'm smart, remember?"

There's a brief pause, and then Robin mutters. "You're mocking me."

"Sort of." Cordelia admits. "Now get down here."

Robin does so reluctantly.

"Now." Cordelia firmly grabs the man by the arm before he can move away. "We're going _back_ , and you are going to talk this out."

"No!"

" _Yes_."

"That's a-"

"-perfectly fine idea." Cordelia interrupts. "We're going _back_ even if I have to drag you the whole way there."

###

"Robin, you have a bed." Cordelia sighs.

"So?" The boy mutters as he curls up in the branches of the tree. "It's weird and soft."

"It's comfortable, it's the entire _point_ that it's soft."

"It feels weird."

"You're going to catch a cold like that."

"I've slept like this my entire life." He mumbles.

"And you need to stop. Ylisstol is a lot colder than the Fey Jungle." Cordelia scolds.

"But beds are _weird_."

Cordelia sighs. "You get used to then, and they don't hurt their back like sleeping on a _branch_."

"But branches are familiar…"

"And beds aren't familiar because you _don't sleep in them_." The pegasus knight reminds him. "Now _go to bed_."

"Fine…"

"You'll get used to this eventually Robin. Your lessons with Maribelle have been going well from what you've told me, and I know you're doing well with what _I_ teach you."

"I know, I know… but _beds_ , seriously? Branches are so good…"

* * *

 **This is a bit of a weird place to end, but I'm struggling to find a good end point for this chapter. I'll just leave you with this I guess.**

 **I realize I'm having trouble choosing ideas for Male Robin because I'm saving so many of my favourite suggestions for Female Robin (because I like her more, it's easy to write romance with her, I am unabashedly fond of romance, and I love trying to mix in the powers with the romantic plotline). I don't wanna give up good ideas to Male Robin…**

* * *

 **LoveGlutton** **:** I'm leaning towards "not at all".

 **Guardian54** **:** Sure it's a bit irresponsible, but Emmeryn would totally encourage it, and it's not like Chrom's sisters can't have kids of their own. Owain is still a thing, yes.

I mean… sure. If you want to call that necrophilia, go right ahead.

 **G** **:** Shared body is fine, angry tree guardian thing is… _very_ difficult, three fates wouldn't lend well to Robin being a tactician so I'm vetoing that. Rebellion Robin is fine, I think that's already a suggestion.

Don't worry, I know who Miss Fortune is. I've seen plenty of Skullgirls.

 **Roses** **:** Glad you like it! I'm fond of Chrom/Robin myself! That's why I write so much of it…

 **Guest** **:** :D

 **Wrathie Winsre** **:** Hey!

Yeah, I took the general idea of aggressive Chrom and tried to incorporate it. It was somewhat difficult, I felt like Chrom was OOC.

Yes, I just retconned Lucina. It's not like she's vital to the plot or super popular or anything, right? :P

I considered that, but it felt more natural for it to _not_ happen. The 'holding the gem to his heart' thing I mean. I didn't include the Shepherds talking to her after because the chapter was already a decent length and it wouldn't add much. It would be fluffy sure, but not really relevant to the highlight reel.

I think I really went overboard with Robin being dense. There's just no way I could have Chrom be forward and _not_ have Robin figure it out in the first two seconds unless she was denser than rock. Chrom is not subtle, _at all_.

Oh, she _did_ lose her accent. My bad. I'll fix that.

It's all you can really do: be conscientious, be polite, put up disclaimers so people understand the differences between fiction and reality, but don't let others dictate what you write.

Unless, of course, you're writing for _profit_. In that case cater to the public as much as possible!

Yeah, if we're going by the game then Gaius is definitely a sweets-first sorta guy. I tend to envision most characters as a slightly better version of themselves when I write them though. Not _all_ the time of course (I still tend to write Frederick as a hardass) but the important characters tend to get the 'minor improvements' treatment. So in _this_ case at least I envisioned Gauis being a bit more… loveable.

I wouldn't know if he's popular with that group, but he _did_ place high in the popularity poll (which is how he got that swimsuit scene in the first place).

Hmm… alright. I don't usually shoot for bonus points, but I might be able to make that work. I think I have an idea.

Yeah, I understand. Motivation is a finicky thing. I'm lucky that reviews _are_ my motivation, so as long as I get reviews I _usually_ have a drive to continue. However it means projects I like that don't get attention tend to become boring really quickly.

Rereading/Rewatching/Replaying are things that I do very rarely because it gets boring for me very quickly. I wish I _did_ like doing that, but I don't. There are a few exceptions, but they're few and far between.

Time is something I can sympathize with. I'm blessed with large amounts of free time, and I dread the day when that all evaporates. If I ever become an actual author (I'll need to get around to writing actual original stories if that's to happen) I worry that I'll never have time for Fanfiction again.

I considered that Emmeryn or Frederick would have taught him but… I mean it's really not something Chrom would talk about, and it's not something that would be obvious until Chrom actually got into a relationship. Also, it just made for a more fun chapter to write (even if the quirk suffered for it).

Do you _really_ want Chrom to read Sumia's novels? I know I haven't stated it outright, but for the Sumia I write she tends to read a lot of smut and/or extremely steamy romance novels. I'm not quite sure that's what Chrom should be learning from… though it would be hilarious now that I think of it.

Harem ending huh? Hmm… It would be really hard to make it fit into a story, so probably not.

Yeah, I could have had Robin do that, but that feels anticlimactic to me.

Kiss her into submission? I'm fairly sure that _doesn't_ fit Chrom at all. I'm trying to think of a male character it could fit for… hmm… Gaius maybe? Or Virion, _definitely_ Virion.

'Tactically' putting herself in danger huh? I like it, I'm going to remember that. I can make that work...

See you next time!

 **Guest** **:** Berserker Robin, Ninja Robin… you'll have to explain the others.

 **Cyberchao X** **:** Aww, you should have hit every chapter. I like reviews!

 **bauers374** **:** Eh, Henry's a good guy.

Yeah, I've been told the term by _several_ people since that chapter went up, thank you.

No. Just… no. Proper time travel is a _massive_ hassle. Paradoxes are inevitable, and it makes everything too confusing.


	46. Plant Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening or any of the songs I parody/use here, all rights to the owners.**

 **Minor: Dark Flier, Immortal, Boxer (Pugilist), Exploitive, Swordmaster, Angry Cinnamon Roll, Tripping, Perpetual Cheer, Chef, Blacksmith, Pegasus Knight, Teacher, Librarian, Masochist, Literal-Minded, Authoritative, Middle Age, Wyvern Rider, Phobia, Thicc, Tsundere, Damsel in Distress, Gangrel's Child, Wyvern Rider, Child.**

 **Standard: Elemental, Deaf, Foreign, Future sight, Tiny, Nurse/Medic, Valmese Tactician, Medusa, Amazon, Genderfluid, Gift from Validar + evil to good, Mind Control, Banshee, Dancer, Mimic, Emotionless, Crippling Overspecialization (Idiot Savant), Coward, ESP, POW, PTSD, Magician, Mute, Handicapped, Secret Helper, Crazy, Morpher, Dreamwalker, Motherly, Twins, Regenerating, Animal Whisperer, Naga/Tiki Assistant, Sleepless, Fairy, Deadly Touch, Mind Reader, Doppelganger, Arachne, D &D magic, Umbramancer, Horror Monster, Detective, No Sense of Personal Space, Shota, Dominatrix, Songstress, Kinky, Matchmaker, Androphobic.**

 **Unlikely: Chrom's child, Minotaur, Paladin, Werewolf, Assassin, Future Soldier, Bounty Hunter, Weather control, Kleptomaniac, Druid, Steampunk, Shadow Familiar, Magic Augmentation, Lucky, Exile, Piper (Charmer), Gladiator, Witch Doctor, Centaur, Drunk, Demon, Punk, Harpy, Revenant, Luck Manipulation, Demon Summoner, Megalomaniac, Kitsune, King of Plegia, Mood Ring, Reverse Aging, Hammerspace, Prostitute, Demon Hunter, Cyborg, Maid/Servant/Butler, Deadlord, Rebellion, Einherjar, Trap, Yandere, Living Weapon, Size Shifter, Queen of Plegia, Gluttonous, Stretchy, Ninja, Alchemist, Protoss, Spirit Manipulation, Invisible, Plegian Honor Guard, Mecha, Kryptonian, Creator, Orc, Memory Stealing Respawn, Racer, Khan, Elder God, Misfortune, Vampire Hunter, Geokinetic, Imaginary Actualization, Death, Resurrection, Arachne, Force, Merchant, Background Music, Variable, Civilian, Natural Disaster, Mental Noise Projection, Hidden OP, Summoner, Cyclops, Teleporter, Cryokinetic, Genie, Judge, Intangibility, Fortune Teller, Future Vision, Serial Killer, Pervert, Stalker, Magic Fixit, Drakengard Restoration, Ying-Yang, Childhood Friend, Cyberpunk, Chrom's Mother, Obsessed, Berserker, Phase Shift, Gravity Manipulation, Hallucinating, Bladesoul, Zombie, Double Entendre, Shared Body/Two Souls, Cannibal, Singer, Violent, Insane, Waterbender, Casanova.**

 **Other: Pokemon Trainer, Self-insert, Second Generation replacement, Dimensional Walker, Cycle, Fates.**

 **Hmm... throw a dart… Plant Robin. Sure. Demi-humans are fun. The main challenge here is going to be dealing with a mostly stationary Robin.**

 **Plant Robin, requested by Darkness is complete. This is my fourth take. Long one here.**

* * *

Chrom slowly comes to consciousness. He doesn't quite remember what happened. There wasn't a fight, was there? No, he was investigating something…

The Shepherds! They were exploring his Father's private gardens now that he's dead, which is a nightmare of dangerous plants imported from the Fey Jungle. Sumia tripped over _something_ , a screaming plant which nearly caused him to black out and made everyone scramble in every direction to escape it.

With that in mind though, how is he not _dead_? He ran around in a panic for nearly five minutes, stumbled into a bunch of mushrooms, got blasted in the face with some spores and started hallucinating… really _something_ should have killed him during that time, especially considering he was alone.

Maybe that's why he's nervous to open his eyes. He doesn't want to see his situation. He can feel he's lying against something soft, and despite hearing the patter of rain he isn't _wet_ which means he's under cover, but there are a few concerning things like a sickly sweet smell filling the air and _something_ stroking the side of his face.

Taking a deep breath, Chrom opens his eyes.

Another pair of eyes, two golden orbs with no pupils or irises, meet his. They belong to a shapely light pink-skinned girl with long purple hair. That's rather interesting on it's own, but it's not the most significant thing Chrom notices.

No, the most important thing about his current situation is how he's lying in the clutches of a massive flower that's five meters in diameter. The dark pink petals of the plant are curled up to hold him so he won't roll off, and Chrom notes several vines of the same color hidden among the petals that shift slightly on occasion.

Also, the girl seems to be _attached_ to the flower. She has a tube in the back of her neck that connects to the center of the plant which makes Chrom fairly sure she's _not_ human.

So that's why he feels nervous at having his head in her lap. Emmeryn would probably tell him to be open-minded, but he feels it's valid to be a _bit_ suspicious of the sexy gold-eyed flower girl, especially when that girl is found in a garden filled with lethal plantlife like hangman trees.

"Are you alright?" The girl asks in a melodious voice.

Okay, maybe he should have said something rather than just staring at her. "I think so."

"You think? Are you still hallucinating?"

"Still?" He blinks. "I was before?"

"Well considering you were talking about giant bees and multicolored stones, I _assumed_ you were hallucinating." She says. She threads her hands through his hair and starts combing it nonchalantly as if it's a perfectly normal thing to do to someone she's just met.

"Ah, well… I'm Chrom." The prince says, hoping to change the subject.

"I'm Robin." She hums. "Because I like robins. They're tasty."

Well alright then. "I see. I don't suppose you've seen other people around here? I came with a group and we got separated."

"I've seen other people before." Robin murmurs. She runs a hand over his face and strokes his cheek, which makes the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. "There was a man like you, but older. He was nasty, but he brought me food."

Chrom notes how one of the many vines lying under the cover of her petals is now slowly curling around his leg. He figures he might in danger in just a moment, but a sudden movement is sure to prompt an attack so he stays still.

"He has assistants too." Robin continues. "They were… not welcome. They were interested in _this_." she runs a hand along her hip and leg. "Sometimes they came alone."

Chrom doesn't like where this is going.

"They thought they had power over me, because they planted me here." Robin whispers. She's looking intensely into his eyes. "Humans are tasty too."

A chill goes down Chrom's spine.

"I could easily have eaten you too. I still can. You're fully within my trap." The surface Chrom is lying on shifts, and the petals of the flower slightly close so that they're bending upwards and resemble a giant bear trap. At this point Chrom also notices that the center of the flower, while also being where Robin is attached to the thing, has a meter wide hole that opens up that looks suspiciously like a _throat_.

It's at that point he understands. The petals are teeth, Robin is bait, the vines are the tongue. This whole flower is a _mouth_ , and he's dangerously close to being swallowed.

The prince swallows thickly. His voice is hoarse when he speaks. "I-I promise I'm not like them. I may be the… uh… nasty man's son, but I'm different. My sisters can attest to that."

"I hoped so." Robin says. She's still using that calm, pleasant voice, and it drives home to Chrom just how inhuman this girl- no, this _plant_ actually is. Robin _looks_ like an attractive girl, but she's not. She's the plant _as a whole_ , not just the humanoid form he sees before him. "After all, that's why I haven't eaten you already. It's been a while since I had someone to talk to, and I was hoping you were better than the nasty man and the assistants."

The petals relax, and the vine uncoils from his leg. The hole in the middle of the flower closes up, and the situation returns to something resembling calm.

Chrom takes a few deep breaths to calm himself, and cautiously sits up so he's no longer lying in her lap. Robin puts up no lets him sit next to her.

"So, if you don't mind me asking…" Chrom says slowly. "What _are_ you? I'm not familiar with plants as a general rule, but you're… unique."

"I heard the assistants call me either a 'man-eater' or an 'alraune'." Robin offers. "I mean, those things over there eat people too, so I don't know why they just call _me_ a man-eater." She points to a group of tall grass blades just on the other side of the path. "They paralyze with a touch. I've seen at least two or three assistants get paralyzed and eventually have their hearts stopped after lying in there for a few hours."

Well that's terrifying. "I see."

"I've only eaten about _five_ assistants, and they all deserved it." Robin hums. "Really, I'm not the dangerous one here."

Chrom would absolutely disagree.

###

"We were so worried!" Lissa cries as she clings tightly to her brother. "It took _forever_ to find you Chrom! What were you doing the entire time!?"

"Sleeping mostly." Chrom says sheepishly. "And apparently hallucinating."

"And you say this… _plant_ saved you?" Frederick says suspiciously. Robin waves at him with a calm smile. "By putting you to sleep?"

"Well she stopped me from walking around in a hallucinating stupor, so I'd say that counts as being saved." Chrom says. In truth he's hesitant to speak positively of Robin considering she outright threatened him, but she _did_ chose to help him rather than let him wander around or just eat him.

Chrom left out the part about her threatening to eat him when he told the others. He doesn't want to create any unnecessary conflicts.

"So you have to go now?" Robin says in disappointment.

"Yeah." Chrom nods. "It's late."

"Will you come back?"

"At least once, and Miriel here will probably come back dozens times to study everything." Chrom motions to the mage who is in the process of taking a sample of the paralytic toxins on the surface of the massive grass.

"Can you bring food next time?" There aren't many animals to catch." She says. "I can catch birds and squirrels here, but those really aren't enough."

"What do you usually eat?" Chrom asks cautiously.

"A pig or a few chickens usually." Robin hums. "Or a cow. A cow works."

Chrom has no idea how she'd eat a cow. It's too big for her to swallow. He decides he really doesn't want to know.

###

"Greetings." Emmeryn says, and bows towards the flower girl. "My name is Emmeryn. I am the new ruler of Ylisse. I understand you suffered at the hands of my father during his rule?"

"If your father was the nasty blue-haired man, then yes." Robin says calmly. "He was most unpleasant. He and his assistants harvested my nectar against my will."

"I apologize on the half of the royal family then." Emmeryn murmurs, and bows again to her. "I hope you won't hold it against the rest of us."

"Of course not." Robin says with a serene smile. "I am not so petty."

"Thank you." Emmeryn says.

"If I may ask miss Emmeryn." The flower girl murmurs. "What is to become of this garden?"

"Well…" The exalt frowns. "This garden is filled with incredibly dangerous things. However, it has potential to provide resources we would not have otherwise, and there is still the matter of curing the experiments my father conducted on his prisoners of war which will require recreating and experimenting on the many ingredients he used from this garden…"

"So the garden is not going anywhere any time soon."

"No, it is not."

"I see." Robin smiles. "Good, I would hate to lose the company I had just so recently obtained."

"You are lonely?" Emmeryn asks softly.

"Well yes… I'm plenty used to it of course, but conversing with the Shepherds and more specifically your brother was the first _pleasant_ conversation I've had in awhile." Robin hums.

Chrom wasn't sure he'd call that conversation 'pleasant'. It largely consisted of him very cautiously prying Robin for information on his father while simultaneously trying not to piss her off and be eaten. Then again, if Robin calls that 'pleasant' than the conversations she had with his father must have been pretty bad.

"Well, I'm not able to come for a visit all that often, and Miriel must focus on other things." Emmeryn murmurs and glances towards Chrom. The man instantly knows what she's going to ask. "Chrom-"

"I'll do it." Chorm sighs. "I can't ask anyone else to come through a killer garden just to visit Robin."

"I appreciate it." Robin says with a sweetness to her voice that Chrom absolutely doesn't buy. He knows she's putting on a nice act for Emmeryn, and while Robin isn't exactly a _bad_ person she's not the innocent flower (joke fully intended) she's pretending to be right now.

Chrom smiles back, but it's just for Emmeryn's sake. Robin saved his life, sure, but he does _not_ trust her in the slightest.

###

"A game?" Robin asks as Chrom carefully sets the board down in the grass. The tube connecting her 'body' to the flower actually extends far enough that she can walk a short distance beyond the flower's petals, and after learning that her flower is basically a death trap Chrom absolutely refuses to set foot on it again.

"Yes. I figured it would give us something to do as we talked." Chrom says. "It's called 'chess', and it's a game played all over the known world."

"Interesting…"

Chrom quickly explains how to play. He's not particularly good at chess, but he's hoping Robin's inexperience will make the game somewhat fair after a few games of learning.

He's sorely disappointed. After only five games Robin gets her first win against him, and the ratio only tilts more in her favor as they keep playing.

"So your group fights bad people?" Robin asks.

"Yep." Chrom grunts. He cautiously moves his knight closer to the center of the board. "There are plenty of people out there who would rather steal and murder and pillage than earn money the legitimate way."

"Which is…?" Robin flicks forward a pawn.

"Well there are a _lot_ of legitimate ways." Chrom says. "With the strength a usual bandit has, they'd make for good builders or farmhands. They could work as dockhands, hunters, or even sign up for the military. Being physically strong gives them a _bunch_ of options that they just waste…"

"These bandits sound like your father. They _take_ rather than earning." The girl hums.

"I suppose that's an apt enough comparison." Chrom agrees. His father was far worse than any mere bandit, but on a basic level the comparison works well enough. he moves his queen in position to attack the center line.

"But how is your royal family any better?" Robin asks. "You take money from a lot of people and arrest them if they don't comply."

"That money goes to improving the lives of _everyone_ in Ylisse." Chrom counters. "They're paying for a better society, and we don't accept freeloaders who don't pay. Unless, of course, they don't have the money for it. That's a different case. If that's true that means _we_ , the royal family, aren't doing enough for them… or they're _really_ lazy."

"Hmm…"

"To be fair, I'm biased in the favour of the government with me being a part of it an all that." Chrom admits. "I can be abused though, corruption exists, and that's how we get people like you suspect that just take money from people for their own benefit."

"Checkmate." Robin says as she moves her rook forwards and takes one of his pawns.

"What?!"

###

"Robin, I've been meaning to ask something."

"Sure."

"You mentioned my father would take your nectar, right?"

"Indeed."

"Well.. erm… we've been meaning to ask for a sample." Chrom coughs. "It would greatly help our understanding of my father's experiments if we could run some tests on it."

"I see." Robin's face is dangerously neutral.

Chrom is _very_ nervous. He hasn't forgotten her threat. "So, if you wouldn't mind, could we have some?"

Robin gazes at him for a full minute, and the prince squirms under her scrutiny. Eventually though she whispers. "Fine. Do you have something to hold it in?"

"Y-Yes." Chrom pulls out a bottle from his belt and hands it to her. "We don't need _too_ much."

Still not breaking eye contact, she brings the bottle up to her mouth. Her lips purse, and a thin stream of golden liquid falls from her mouth into the vial. It emits a potent sweet smell that swells to fill the entire section of the garden, and only stops when the girl corks the bottle.

"Careful." Robin whispers. "It's _very_ potent."

"Poison?" Chrom asks. The girl shakes her head.

"Aphrodisiac."

###

"Chrom, seriously."

"I refuse."

"You're getting soaked. Get up here."

"No."

"You're going to get sick."

"So be it."

Robin has no idea why _this_ is something he refuses to do. "Get up on my flower Chrom. I can protect you from the rain."

" _No_."

"You'd rather get sick than walk five feet?"

"Yes." Chrom says firmly.

Robin has had quite enough of this. She carefully gauges the distance between herself and the man. Maybe she can grab him? He's out of range of her vines, so she'd have to use her human body.

Hmm, that won't work. She has another trick though. There's more to her than some vines and nectar. She still has sleep spores she could use, even if it feels a bit wrong to use them on a friend.

It's either put him to sleep, or let him get sick for no good reason. She's choosing the former.

"Chrom, don't be crazy." She says, and takes a slow step forwards. She just needs to get in range to touch. "What are you worried about? I'm trying to _help_ you."

"I have my reasons." Chrom says evasively. The look in his eyes is something she hadn't seen for a few months, and hoped she'd never see pointed at her again: caution. Not _suspicion_. Suspicion isn't always a bad thing, it can be the anticipation of a surprise. Caution _always_ means you're expecting something bad.

What does he expect from her? Why is he _cautious_? She doesn't remember doing something to harm him. "Chrom, are you okay? Have I done something wrong?"

"No, nothing's wrong."

Well _that's_ bullshit. Robin is, however, now close enough to spore him. She quickly jumps on him, wraps her limbs around him to make sure he can't get away, and breathes a cloud of spores directly in his face.

Chrom staggers back, and feebly tries to push off her. Her spores are fast acting though, and he slumps into sleep a few moments later. Robin gently lift him off the ground and carries him back to her flower where she closes the outer petals over them, making a shield from the elements outside.

The downpour isn't over by the time Chrom wakes up. In fact, it's evolved into a full-blown storm.

"Lovely day." Robin greets the man when he groggily awakes. "And you wanted to stay _out_ in that?"

Chrom smiles nervously as he sits up and glances around. "W-Well I didn't _want_ to do that, I just didn't want to be in _here…_ "

"Why not?" Robin huffs.

"Last time I was in here, you threatened to kill me." Chrom mutters.

Robin blinks. "Wait… are you talking about our first meeting? Five months ago?"

"Yes." The prince says quietly. He looks incredibly nervous now. "That was when I learned this flower is a death trap…"

"Well _yeah_ , how else am I supposed to get food if it's not brought to me?" Robin huffs. "You think my species survived in the wild by just _waiting_ for people to bring them food?"

"Still…" Chrom mutters as he grips the hilt of Falchion. He has no intention of drawing the blade, it just makes him feel safer to hold it. "You could kill me here, _easily_."

Robin really doesn't want to ask this, but she suspects it's true. "Chrom, are you _scared_ of me?"

"Maybe." The prince grimaces. "I mean, I remember that first day. You made it clear I was on a thin wire, so I've be careful about what I do."

"Right…"

"And, well, your flower is a _death trap_." Chrom shivers. "I'm _sitting_ in the middle of a death trap, and… uh…"

"What?"

"You're not… I mean…" Chrom really doens't want to say this, but is he's coming out with everything then he should say it. "I can't tell if you're _human_ or not."

"Meaning?"

"You're a plant, right? You're not even a demi human." Chrom mutters. "I can't tell if I can _trust_ you or not. Are you a person? Are you just manipulating me? I can't tell."

"Anything else?"

"No, that's about it."

"Okay." Robin says. That's a lot to take in, but it boils down to two things: trust, and their bad first impression. "So, you remember our first meeting?"

"Of course."

"I threatened to eat you, right?"

"Right."

"Do you know _why_ I did that?" Robin asks.

"Because you thought I might be dangerous."

"Exactly. So I scared you a bit." The girl whispers. "I _did_ want company though, so I made sure it was just a _warning_."

"It had the desired effect." Chrom grimaces.

"I don't think it did." Robin frowns. "The idea was to make sure you didn't exploit me, not to make you permanently afraid of me. I was hoping for a friend too, and making him afraid of setting foot in what is essentially my _home_ was not the plan."

"Ah."

"So what I'm saying is that the threat I made when we met no longer stands." Robin says flatly. "I'm not going to try and eat you if you piss me off. You're my _friend_ , and I assume friends don't eat each other."

"Right." Chrom says, and lets out a long breath. "Okay…"

"You were scared of this the entire time?" Robin asks in a softer tone. "Did I scare you that much?"

"Of course you did, you're _terrifying_." Chrom says bluntly. "You're a literal man-eating plant who threatened to _eat_ me when we first met, and you mentioned that you've already eaten people before!"

"They were creepy and awful, and you definitely _aren't_." Robin scoffs.

"I had no way of knowing if _you_ thought that." The prince grimaces. "If I asked you, it would look like I was trying to exploit you."

"So you've spent the last five months in fear that I'd suddenly turn on you." Robin sighs.

"Pretty much." Chrom coughs.

"Well enough of that then." Robin says firmly. "You are _safe_ with me Chrom."

It's like he just shrugged off a massive backpack. Chrom's shoulders _finally_ sag in relaxation, and he slumps against her petals tiredly. It's the first time Robin could really say she's seen him _vulnerable_ except when she's forcibly put him to sleep.

Chrom falls asleep again some time during the evening. Robin fully closes her petals to shelter him from the bugs overnight, and patiently waits out the darkness while stroking the boy's hair.

###

"Are we sure this is going to work?" Chrom asks nervously.

"Chrom, I'm fairly sure you're more worried about this than I am." Robin says calmly. "This will be fine."

"Indeed." Miriel says as she gives the cart one last check. Everyone else signals their readiness. "We are prepared to begin. Robin, tell us if you start experiencing anything unusual."

"This whole thing is going to be unusual." Robin snorts. "But sure."

The operation is in theory a simple one. They've dug up a huge amount of dirt around Robin's roots, and now all that remains is to drag her onto the cart. She's been fed a massive amount over the last few days to make sure she has energy for the trip and the recovery after she's replanted in the palace gardens rather than this letal forest garden.

"Alright everyone! Grab your ropes!" Miriel barks. "On the count of three!"

Chrom grabs his own section of the rope and grits his teeth. He dearly hopes they don't injure her by accident.

"Heave!"

It takes a few minutes to drag the massive flower onto the equally massive cart, and it takes a few minutes more to arrange her roots in a way that they won't drag along the ground as the cart moves.

"It's going to be top-heavy." Sully grunts. "But this should work. We need to go slow, it'll take the whole day to get back."

"Let's get moving then." Chrom says anxiously. Robin already looks a bit off. She walks around with a slightly unsure gait on top of her petals. "We don't want her out of the ground longer than necessary."

The trip back is agonizing, though more so for Chrom than for Robin. The plant girl reports feeling "a bit tired, and it's weird to feel wind on my roots" but she seems largely unphased by this whole thing. In fact, she spends most of the trip back reassuring Chrom that she's alright, and no she's not dying, and yes she's still sure about this.

Lissa finds it very funny, as do most of the Shepherds. Chrom is not amused.

Just as Sully predicted, it takes until dusk to get Robin to the castle gardens. Robin says she'd be fine overnight, but Chrom insists on working into the dark hours of the night to get her planted safely into the ground.

Hilariously, Chrom falls asleep halfway through the work. He stressed himself into exhaustion. The Shepherds finish the job anyways, and leave Chrom to sleep with Robin.

Lissa teases him mercilessly the next few weeks about that.

###

He's falling in love with a _plant_. Granted, the plant looks like an incredibly attractive you woman who walks around in the nude all the time, is incredibly intelligent, and is also very friendly, but she is species of plant that _specifically evolved to trap and eat humans_.

So yes, if you told Chrom he was crazy he probably wouldn't argue. He can't really deny it.

The problem is that the feeling hasn't gone away. He's been hiding it for at least a few months at this point, hoping it would diminish into something more tame. It hasn't, and instead he's started acting so flustered around Robin that she's started to ask if he's ill.

Chrom has just told her 'yes' to avoid the trouble of the actual reason. The problem is that Lissa, and even worse _Emmeryn_ , found out; and while Lissa will just poke at him Emmeryn is absolutely _not_ going to let him keep quiet about this.

Emmeryn means well. She wants him to be happy. She's also never actually confessed to anyone, so Chrom doesn't think she quite knows what she's asking him to do.

Also, Robin is a _plant_. She's a person, but she's a _plant_. Chrom isn't even sure romance is a thing she does and really doesn't want to risk the embarrassment of realizing his suspicions are correct. However Emmeryn isn't going to give him a choice but to find out (or more accurately, she's not going to talk to him about anything else until he does).

Chrom has decided to do ask today, and after suffering a minor panic attack he made his way out to the gardens for their usual game of chess. Chrom has gotten slightly better at the game with Robin's teaching. Despite playing the game for less than a full year she's already _much_ better than him.

"Check." Chrom says cautiously as he moves his bishop.

"Oho…" Robin says with a smile. It looks like she's in a bad situation, but she's always calm and collected so he's not sure if that's actually the case. Maybe he's totally misreading the situation, or it could just be that she has a fantastic poker face. "My turn."

As seems to be normal for her, she just moves a pawn to block his attack. Chrom _hates_ it when she moves pawns around, she does it all the time, and then on a random turn she's suddenly move one of her powerful pieces and announce checkmate.

So yes, Chrom hates pawns. They're mocking him…

The prince also decides this is a good opportunity to start conversation. He's going to ask something that can totally make a fool of him, but at least he can lead into it and soften the blow.

He's already resigned to this conversation going badly. He's just trying to make it less of a catastrophe.

"Robin, I've been meaning to ask something." Chrom says. He takes a rook, and moves it two spaces up along the side of the board.

"Sure." Robin murmurs. She doesn't look away from the board, and again pushes up a pawn.

"You know how you're a plant, right?" Chrom says nervously.

"Stop right there." Robin glances up at him. "Chrom, we had an issue with this last time because you assumed I was inhuman. Whatever your thinking right now, change it. I am a _person_."

"I know that." Chrom says hastily. "But it's relevant."

"Alright…" Robin doesn't sound convinced.

"So, uh…" Chrom takes a moment to look at the board, and moves his queen out to the side to get a better angle of attack. "How do relationships work for you?"

"Pardon?"

"I don't mean friendships or anything." Chrom clarifies quickly. "I _know_ you're a person, it's just… uh…"

"Just be blunt Chrom." Robin says with a roll of her eyes. "You're really bad at dancing around things."

"Right." Chrom winces. "Erm… blunt huh…"

"Yes."

"W-Well." The prince coughs. So he's actually asking this. He does _not_ feel prepared. "Alright. So, uh…"

Robin is giving him a flat look, with the clear message being "get on with it."

"I… I _like_ you." Chrom says tentatively. "I mean _more_ than a friend."

"Ah." Robin blinks. "Ah… okay. I get it."

"You do?"

"Let me guess. Your thoughts were somewhere along the lines of 'she's a plant, can she even fall in love'?"

"Well I phased it a bit differently… but yes." Chrom coughs. "It's not like plants reproduce the same way humans do, there's no biological _reason_ for you to be _able_ fall in love, so I wasn't sure it was a natural behavior for you."

"Well it is." Robin huffs.

"Alright then."

There's an awkward silence for a few minutes. They play their game, but Chrom is distracted and Robin is quick to capitalize on his mistakes.

The game, which might have been going in Chrom's favor a few minutes ago, is now totally lost for him. "Checkmate."

The prince gives the board a once over, and nods in defeat. "So it is."

"Chrom."

"Yes?" The prince glances up at her. She leaned in when he wasn't looking, and takes advantage of it to surprise him with a quick kiss on the nose.

"I hope that answers any lingering doubts." She says. She falls back into a sitting position with her usual calm smile, leaving Chrom flustered.

"That's not fair!"

"How not?"

"You can't just be calm and collected after that!" Chrom groans. "Gods, how am I ever going to know what you're feeling?"

"You'll have to find out."

"How?!"

"Give me a hug." Robin says with a smile. "If I push you away, I'm angry."

"That's not exactly what I meant…"

"Well I'm serious." The girl chuckles. "It's _normal_ for me to be calm Chrom. I can try to be expressive, but it's actually a bit difficult for me. It's a lot easier with touch."

"Oh." Well that'll be something to get used to. "Alright then."

"Hurry up."

"What?"

"I told you to give me a hug, come on." She says insistently, and holds out her arms.

"Oh, uh…" Chrom does so. He awkwardly leans forwards and embraces her, and is surprised by the fierceness with which she clings to him.

"Been hoping for this for a while." Robin hums happily and nuzzles into his neck. "Stay for a bit?"

"Of course." Chrom says with a relieved smile. Finally, he can relax again. "As long as you want Robin."

* * *

 **So… this is a weird chapter. No tactics** _ **at all**_ **aside from chess. Making Robin immobile really made this chapter difficult, also it was surprisingly difficult to decide how to write Chrom at any given moment. Usually Chrom is the easy part, but he also doesn't usually jump between emotions so rapidly. I'm of the opinion this chapter is thoroughly mediocre. Not my best work, not the worst, but a good experiment.**

* * *

 **bauers374** **:** Yep. Henry was sorta the inspiration for that.

I'm well aware, I've been told numerous time. I just can't be bothered to change it. I'm lazy :P

No. We already have Timesnap and Savepoint Robin, and proper time travel is just a massive hassle to deal with.

Thanks for reading! Hope you're gonna stay with us for future chapters!

 **Pengaius** **:** Sure, why not.

 **RedRat8** **:** For Wyvern Rider have. That's not necessarily enough to hold a story on it's own though. Singer/Lullaby is interesting, though frankly I think some other ideas have already covered what would make Singer interesting (Bard covers the song aspect, Succubus covers the magic sleep aspect) so I'm not quite sure it brings anything unique to the table. I'll put it down on the list though, maybe I'll think of something.

 **LoveGlutton** **:** What can I say? I'm biased.

 **Guest** **:** You've just described Virion I think.

 **Guest** **:** I don't take gender-specific suggestion. I mean, I'll take the ideas, but don't expect me to give them to male or female Robin specifically. All the ideas are fine except for Hector Robin. I haven't played that game, and a minor personality tweak isn't enough to make a chapter out of anyways. Also, the word you're looking for is "Androphobia". It's the fear of _adult_ men granted, but I couldn't find a term just for the fear of men so this is as close as we get. Lon'qu's condition is called "Gynophobia" (and he probably also has Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder).

 **Guest** **:** So Nidus Robin would be someone who can infect others, control them, grow tentacles to attack people, and make maggots pop out of things. Fury Robin is a hyper-violent monster bent on killing specific people for their sins. Is that about right?

 **LancetheGallade** **:** Well hey there, I appreciate the comment. You'd be absolutely right in suspecting I enjoy F!Robin more than M!Robin most of the time.

I sorta disagree on the "don't worry about wasting good ideas" front. See, The Robin Variable is _much_ more popular than Varied Awakenings (it gets about thrice the number of visitors when there's a new chapter, and many more reviews) so while I could do alternate versions with Varied Awakenings, if I want people to share my enthusiasm I need to put it in The Robin Variable. That's why I save all my favourite ideas for F!Robin, because I might not have _time_ to write another version or the other version will slip by totally unnoticed by everyone (and half the fun of writing these ideas is getting reviews/talking about them. Varied Awakenings is very hit-or-miss).

That is, however, an excuse. I'll admit outright I'm sacrificing M!Robin for my own enjoyment. It's the selfish thing for me to do. Not to say there aren't some cool ideas for M!Robin (I personally like Vampire, Stringcutter, Arranged Marriage, and Bowknight) where I think they work better on him than F!Robin, but I often get more enjoyment out using F!Robin for the more interesting ideas (often because I like how I can use her/her powers for romance. I'm a sucker for romance).

Maybe I am better at M!Robin romance than I think I am. I wouldn't know. I'm so used to writing one specific type of male character (nervous/submissive) that I can't really judge how well I do with any other personalities or romantic dynamics.

Casanova huh… sounds like something I would have trouble with, but it's a good idea.

I'll admit there is a lack of romances for M!Robin. Off the top of my head I can think of Vampire, Bow Knight (sorta?), Necromancer, and maybe Spy… well that's actually a few, but nowhere near as many as I give to F!Robin.

There's a few reasons I don't focus on the kids, but the main one is that frankly I don't want them getting in the way. I find family-focused stories _boring_ for the most part, so I don't write a lot of parent-child interactions unless it's to support something else. I could give it a try though, it deserves at least one pass. I always planned on writing things I'm not used to so I should at least attempt it…

I appreciate your review, even if I seemed a bit snippy here. You've pointed out several areas where I'm lacking or haven't tried yet and I appreciate it. I can't guarantee you'll get what you're asking for, I enjoy writing certain types of character and situations over others so I'm going to cater to that, but it would be remiss of me to not at least _try_ other things, especially since I said I was trying to branch out.

Cheers! Hope to hear from you again!"

 **Wrathie Winsre** **:** Yeah, it was inspired by the Feywild. The hangman tree is ripped _straight_ from DnD.

I totally imagined that too. I actually considered having Sumia be left behind for the mission.

At first I was going to lean more into the 'savage' part of being wild. Robin was going to have a club, speak with poor grammar, and generally fill all the caveman stereotypes. I decided against it purely because I couldn't make it work.

I think the line is: "Time to tip the scales!"

I was going to have him abuse that power more, but there ended up being almost no conflict in the chapter so I kept it to that one instance.

How do you know she wasn't? I never specified! Jokes aside though, it felt out of place to put that in. Also Cordelia _doesn't_ need fanservice! The internet does that enough already! The _only_ people I give fanservice are Robin and sometimes Chrom, so why are you only complaining now? I'll admit I don't give her a lot of spotlight though, that comes from her not being a character I like a lot. She falls squarely into indifference for me.

It's harder than it looks. Eventually I'll run out of scenes to pull from and have to make things up, and that's a _lot_ harder than adapting something already existing.

Chrom can save himself. He's a big boy. Who _really_ cares about the children anyways? They just get in the way. :P

That _is_ a good line, I must admit.

Usually Chrom is the dense one, I figured it was Robin's turn for once. May have gone a bit overboard. It made for a cute chapter though.

I could probably do that. Gender bender is something I am very familiar with (my other main story is based entirely on that premise). It's not the most popular gimmick though, it attracts a _bit_ of an audience but nothing substantial.

That's not actually what I was referring to, but that's true too. I just meant that I write them in a more flattering light.

Maribelle is similar in some ways, but there's some substantial differences. They're both big on being proper, but Maribelle is more focused on noble bearing and self presentation while Frederick is focused on being in shape and following orders. Maribelle is (in my opinion at least) a bit of a bitch though, so I tend to avoid using her. I'll try to slip her in however, I fully intend to use _all_ the Shepherds.

I dunno. I'm not familiar with different groups.

That's a very meta thing to say, I'm not quite sure a Matchmaker Robin would think in terms of skills like that. Remember, characters in universe aren't necessarily aware of game mechanics, and game mechanics don't always translate well into story. I don't use seals for example.

Reviews _are_ my enjoyment. At least, they're a large part of it. It's no fun to write a story and have no one share your enthusiasm. Having consistent reviews _enables_ me to write what I enjoy because I know a few people will at least give it a read and show their opinions.

I hope not to end it any time soon, but I imagine I'll eventually have to cut back on the number of stories I'm writing at once. I currently have three after all.

It's not that Chrom didn't get the talk. I just mean Chrom picked up some bad habits that run a bit deeper than everyone around him suspects. Others see him a bit stubborn, or a bit too rigid in his duty, they don't see the deep-seated fear he has of letting other control him, or that his clumsiness around women comes from having no role model (and instead having a figure he tries vehemently to _not_ be like, but no example of what he _should_ be like). So I wouldn't really blame anyone but his father, because his father is the stem of so many of Chrom's issues… at least how I write him, and how I see it.

Well that _would_ be funny, albeit catastrophic for Chrom.

I'm of the opinion that Ylisse is gonna give a big ol' _nope_ to harems. I see the religious institutes of Ylisse as pretty uptight and prudish soo… yeah, definitely not something they would approve of.

Necromancer Robin, not Risen Robin. But yes, that's probably a good idea.

Maybe Gaius. I'm still leaning towards Virion though. Tharja is an interesting one. Towards Robin she might do that, but to others…?"

Stupid yes… but still a fun idea. I'm getting an idea for a Robin that feigns weakness or incompetence in order to be 'cute' or to inspire a protective urge. Kinda like Charlotte.

Hope to hear from you again!

 **Fantasy Paradise** **:** Sure, that works.

 **Darkness is complete** **:** I was going to make him human initially. The first several drafts were based off a 'savage' character that was basically a caveman with a club. It was sorta boring and didn't work, so I changed it to this.

 **AuraPhoenix1500** **:** Really? Huh. I wouldn't have thought of this as one of my best, but I'm glad you like it! Maybe it was better than I thought.

A nicer interpretation of Alien? In what way? The fact that he doesn't seem quite human? I'm genuinely curious.

That's an interesting idea for Fairy Robin, but I have something else in mind I think I'll be using.

Nice to hear from you!

 **Cyberchao X :** I'm afraid I've never watched Dragonball. I wouldn't know.


	47. Dancer Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening or any of the songs I parody/use here, all rights to the owners.**

 **Minor: Dark Flier, Immortal, Boxer (Pugilist), Exploitive, Swordmaster, Angry Cinnamon Roll, Tripping, Perpetual Cheer, Chef, Blacksmith, Pegasus Knight, Teacher, Librarian, Masochist, Literal-Minded, Authoritative, Middle Age, Wyvern Rider, Phobia, Thicc, Tsundere, Damsel in Distress, Gangrel's Child, Wyvern Rider, Child, Communist.**

 **Standard: Elemental, Deaf, Foreign, Future sight, Tiny, Nurse/Medic, Valmese Tactician, Medusa, Amazon, Genderfluid, Gift from Validar + evil to good, Mind Control, Banshee, Mimic, Emotionless, Crippling Overspecialization (Idiot Savant), Coward, ESP, POW, PTSD, Magician, Mute, Handicapped, Secret Helper, Crazy, Morpher, Dreamwalker, Motherly, Twins, Regenerating, Animal Whisperer, Naga/Tiki Assistant, Sleepless, Fairy, Deadly Touch, Mind Reader, Doppelganger, Arachne, D &D magic, Umbramancer, Horror Monster, Detective, No Sense of Personal Space, Shota, Dominatrix, Songstress, Kinky, Matchmaker, Androphobic.**

 **Unlikely: Chrom's child, Minotaur, Paladin, Werewolf, Assassin, Future Soldier, Bounty Hunter, Weather control, Kleptomaniac, Druid, Steampunk, Shadow Familiar, Magic Augmentation, Lucky, Exile, Piper (Charmer), Gladiator, Witch Doctor, Centaur, Drunk, Demon, Punk, Harpy, Revenant, Luck Manipulation, Demon Summoner, Megalomaniac, Kitsune, King of Plegia, Mood Ring, Reverse Aging, Hammerspace, Prostitute, Demon Hunter, Cyborg, Maid/Servant/Butler, Deadlord, Rebellion, Einherjar, Trap, Yandere, Living Weapon, Size Shifter, Queen of Plegia, Gluttonous, Stretchy, Ninja, Alchemist, Protoss, Spirit Manipulation, Invisible, Plegian Honor Guard, Mecha, Kryptonian, Creator, Orc, Memory Stealing Respawn, Racer, Khan, Elder God, Misfortune, Vampire Hunter, Geokinetic, Imaginary Actualization, Death, Resurrection, Arachne, Force, Merchant, Background Music, Variable, Civilian, Natural Disaster, Mental Noise Projection, Hidden OP, Summoner, Cyclops, Teleporter, Cryokinetic, Genie, Judge, Intangibility, Fortune Teller, Future Vision, Serial Killer, Pervert, Stalker, Magic Fixit, Drakengard Restoration, Ying-Yang, Childhood Friend, Cyberpunk, Chrom's Mother, Obsessed, Berserker, Phase Shift, Gravity Manipulation, Hallucinating, Bladesoul, Zombie, Double Entendre, Shared Body/Two Souls, Cannibal, Singer, Violent, Insane, Waterbender, Casanova, Cupid, Undertaker, Master Thief, Guard, Faceless, Shadow.**

 **Other: Pokemon Trainer, Self-insert, Second Generation replacement, Dimensional Walker, Cycle, Fates.**

 **Dancer Robin, requested by Scorin, Invisible Prince, and Lunas-paradox. This is an old request that I just now figured out how I was going to tackle. Not at** _ **all**_ **what I figured I would do, but I like this idea.**

* * *

"Stay still damn you!" Lucina growls as she once again fails to hit her sparring partner.

"My apologies your Highness." Robin says with a smile as he bends over backwards to duck a sword strike, and then gracefully leaps over her head to avoid the low swing she tries afterwards. He then kicks her in the back, causing her to stumble for a moment before she turns around with a scowl. "That would defeat the point of sparring."

"Grr…" Lucina lunges at blonde-haired man again, determined to land a hit.

Looking at the two fighters, one could be forgiven for assuming Lucina was the nimble fighter and Robin was the one that used brute force. The blond man is tall and rather bulky, while Lucina has more lean muscle. You would also be _wrong_ to assume that.

For better or for worse, Lucina emulates her father's brute-force style. She's a bit more focused on dodging than her father, and relies more on centrifugal force to put power behind her strikes, but relatively speaking she just smashes through her enemies.

Robin is the polar opposite. First, he has no weapon. His combat style is all punches, kicks, grapples, throws, and other martial arts moves. He's also incredibly nimble and flexible, and his ability to dodge attacks is unparalleled. He relies highly on wearing out an enemy or finding the right moment to hit a weak point. In a real fight he would be using spiked gauntlets and boots to be able to penetrate some armor with his strikes.

So yes, despite appearances it is Lucina who the strong one and Robin who is the nimble one.

"Stay quick on your feet." Robin warns. He sidesteps a thrust, grabs her outstretched wrist, and pulls hashly forwards. His other arm quickly wraps around her body, pinning her against him.

Lucina struggles, but she knows the fight if effectively over. Robin twists the wrist of her hand holding the practice blade and she's forced to drop it, and he follows up with forcing both arms behind her back and shoving her face into the grass.

"Lucy…" Robin says with a smirk.

"I give…" She mutters in resignation. "You've bested me again Robin."

Just at that moment, Lissa strides into the training grounds. She pauses at the sight she sees of Robin pinning Lucina in the grass. "I hope I'm seeing the end of a sparring match and _not_ you taking advantage of my niece Robin."

"You're not." Robin says with a totally straight face. He hoists the blue-haired girl up into his arms, carrying her bridal style. "She's mine now."

He and Lissa stare at each other for a solid ten seconds, and then a smile cracks across the princess' face. "Very funny."

"I thought so." Robin says cheerily. He puts down Lucina, taking no note of her slightly red face. "What brings you here Lissa? Do you want to join us?"

"As fun as it is to be pushed into the dirt a dozen times, no." Lissa snorts. "I need to talk to Luci."

Lucina doesn't quite know what to expect when she walks over to her aunt. She doesn't recall having plans before dinner today. "What is it Aunt Lissa? Have I forgot something?"

"No, no… well maybe." She shrugs. "I came to remind you of something, because it occurs to me you might not have thought it applied to you."

"What?"

"Remember that party we talked about last night at dinner?" Lissa says. "The one in the middle of the week where all the dukes and duchesses come to discuss borning political stuff?"

"Yes, I remember."

"And you remember how the royal family is expected to come?"

"Yes."

"Well includes _you_." Lissa says bluntly.

"What?" Lucina blinks. "But I have no office, and I'm very far down on the succession line." Lucina assumed because she's relatively unimportant to the realm (she may be a princess, but at her own request she's near the _bottom_ of the succession line) that she wouldn't have to deal with this party.

"You're still a hero from the royal family." Lissa reminds her. "And more pointedly you live in the _palace_. You basically have no reason _not_ to come, so you'll be expected to come. This is _the_ big part of the year after all."

"I see…" Lucina grimaces.

"Don't make that face. Parties are fun!" Lissa huffs. "There's awesome food, and you get to dress up and dance!"

"And deal with politicians bothering you the whole time!" Robin shouts from where he's sitting a dozen meters away.

Lissa shoots the man a glare that clearly says " _shut up, you're not helping!_ ". She turns back to Lucina and says "don't listen to him. Sure, _some_ people are bothersome, but there are people that are fun to talk to as well!"

"Right." Lucina says with a serious expression. "I understand, I will come."

"Good." Lissa sighs. "If you need any help with anything like getting a dress, or doing your hair, or _anything_ , you can just ask me, or your mom, or your sister… or even your dad. Though, uh, don't expect him to be good at doing hair."

"I know how to do hair!"

The blonde-haired princess rolls her eyes. "Or you can ask Robin apparently."

"I'll keep that in mind." Lucina says with a nod. "I shall get help if I need it."

Lissa smiles at her niece's serious expression, and ruffles the girl's hair. "Oh, don't be so serious. It's a party! It'll be fun."

"Of course."

"I call bullshit!"

"You stay out of this!" Lissa huffs and points a finger at the tactician sitting nearby. "This is a talk between me and her!"

"I cannot endorse your _lies_ though Lissa." Robin says cheerily. "I have experience with these parties. Remember Chrom's wedding?"

Lissa makes a face. "That's an _awful_ example. Everything went wrong there."

"What? What happened?" Lucina asks, now curious.

"Ugh. Vaike knocked over one of the food tables, Nowi transformed in the middle of the dance floor…" Lissa lists off. "I think _every_ Shepherd did something wrong there."

"Except me."

"Yes you did! You made a fool of Maribelle, remember?"

"She had it coming." Robin shrugs unapologetically. "Not my fault she's a bad dancer."

"She's not! You intentionally made it difficult for her." Lissa huffs.

"You danced with Lady Maribelle?" Lucina asks the tactician.

"Less danced and more _sabotaged_." Lissa scowls.

"Can confirm. Worth it." Robin chuckles.

"The point is…" Lissa says to her niece. "That party _sucked_ , this one won't be that bad." She shoots Robin a glare _before_ he comments this time. " _Right_ Robin?" She asks venomously.

"Sure." Robin chuckles. He knows not to push this any further.

Lissa leaves, so Lucina and Robin resume their sparring. After another round (and another defeat for Lucina) the princess speaks up.

"Sir Robin… will the party truly be so awful?" She asks as she avoids a low sweep of his leg by jumping over it.

"Of course not, I was just messing with Lissa." Robin hums. "It will be fine your highness. Perhaps a bit boring and tedious, but there _are_ things to enjoy. At worst I'll be there to, we can try to avoid the crowd together if it gets to that."

"I see. Thank you." Lucina says, feeling relieved.

"Footwork."

"Wha- augh!"

Lucina loses three more times (and wins once) before she has to leave for dinner.

###

Lucina has realized something horrible, something that will surely result in her demise when she goes to that party.

She doesn't know how to dance.

Most nobles learn to dance at least somewhat as part of their education, but due to the battle-torn situation of her old world Lucina was never taught how to dance in favor of more combat-oriented pursuits.

"Not feeling up to this today your Highness?"

"Ah, no, I'm fine!" Lucina coughs. "Sorry, just lost in thought."

"I understand, the early moves of a chess game are important." Robin nods sagely.

"No, erm… well that's true, but that's not what I was thinking about." The princess admits. "My pardon."

"What's distracting you then?"

"Well, that party Aunt Lissa mentioned yesterday is going to involve dancing, correct."

"Yes. Are you worried about being forced to dance with people you don't like?" Robin asks. "You _can_ say no to a dance. Ylisse isn't _that_ politically volatile."

"No, no." Lucina shakes her head. "Not that."

"What then?"

"Well…" Lucina is embarrassed to admit this to Robin, but she realizes there's no real harm in it. It isn't like Robin to antagonize someone for a petty reason. "I don't know how to dance."

"Ah, that _would_ be a problem." Robin nods. "Have you found someone to help you yet?"

"No, not yet." Lucina grimaces. "Olivia and Inigo are not in Ylisstol, and Mother is going to be busy…"

"You still have a few options." The tactician says. "While Lissa _can_ dance she's not an expert, and as such may not be the best teacher. A similar case likely goes for your sister."

"She can dance?" Lucina says, surprised.

"I've seen her do it before." Robin shrugs. "Maybe she learned from Inigo at some point?"

Lucina can see that. The two of them are rather friendly towards each other. "Most likely."

"Well anyways, you could ask Frederick to teach you, he knows how." Robin suggests. "Or myself. I don't remember when I got trained because of my amnesia, but I am skilled in dancing. Granted my training is more for plays and folk dances, but I have enough knowledge that I could teach you the basics of ball dancing too."

"You would be willing to?" Lucina asks eagerly.

"Of course."

"Then please, I beg your aid." Lucina pleads. "I do not wish to bring shame to my family!"

"I think that's a bit of an overreaction, but sure. I'm more than willing to help your Highness."

###

"One, two, three, four." Robin says slowly as he and the princess do a simple box-step. "That's it…"

Despite his praise, Lucina is finding this much harder than she should. Having to move _with_ someone rather than against them is giving her trouble. Also… maybe it's just because she's not used to any sort of intimate contact, but having someone's hand on her waist is setting off her battle instincts. Her instincts are yelling at her to _fight_ , but she knows there's no danger _to_ fight.

It's very distracting though to have your adrenaline pounding when you're trying to focus on learning.

"Do you feel like you're getting it?"

"Sort of." Lucina says through gritted teeth. "It feels unnatural though."

"How so?"

"Like I'm being pulled around." Lucina mutters. "Is that normal?"

"Well that's because you _are_ being pulled around." Robin chuckles. "I'm leading."

"Ah."

They do a few more repetitions, and while Lucina doesn't misstep the movements are clearly awkward.

Robin decides to try something. "Perhaps you wish to try leading?"

"Can I despite my inexperience?"

"For something as easy as a box step, yes." Robin nods as they stop. "It's simple. You move, I follow. You'll understand when you start."

"Alright…"

It takes a few repetitions for Lucina to get the hang of being the lead, but it becomes clear very quickly that she finds this much more natural than following. That's not to say there aren't any problems with this, she's far too forceful for one, but she doesn't seem as stiff as she was before.

"Better." Robin acknowledges as they stop again. "Not bad at all."

"But I cannot rely on leading all the time." Lucina grimaces. "Women are expected to follow for the most part."

"True." The tactician agrees. "So we have to overcome whatever it is that's hampering you."

"What is my problem exactly?" Lucina asks.

"You're extremely tense and resist resist my actions." Robin says. His brows are furrowed with thought. "You're basically fighting me. If I didn't know better I'd say you were actively being difficult."

"I'm not trying to!" Lucina protests.

"I know." Robin soothes. "I'm just saying that's what it feels like."

"Right…" Lucina grimaces. "My apologies."

"It's fine. Maybe you'll get better with time."

###

By the end of the third day Lucina has certainly improved, but her core problem remains. She's still stiff, being held still makes her nervous, and following still feels wrong. At least she (roughly) knows a few basic dances now, so she won't be _completely_ helpless if she has to dance.

"I just don't know what's wrong." Lucina admits in frustration after another stilted performance on her part. They're both taking a break and sitting on one of the benches on the side of the room. "There's just something about dancing that feels off to me."

"What specifically?" Robin presses. "Think hard. There has to be a reason."

The princess' eyes narrow as she focuses. "I… I feel like I should be trying to _win_ , but there is no winning in a dance… and it still feels like a competition because one of us is always pulling the other, _controlling_ the other."

"Anything else?"

"It feels strange to be close to someone." Lucina admits with mild embarrassment. "Having your hand on my waist and being so physically close… it makes me nervous."

"Well I'm not sure there's so much we can do about your nervousness." Robin chuckles. "However, I can tell you that your mentality is the issue in this case. In _most_ cases a partner dance is not about control. Competition is certainly an aspect of dance, though not with your partner, and not usually in the case of a party."

"So what do I do then?"

"Stop seeing me as the enemy." Robin says softly. "I am _leading_ you, not _controlling_ you. You are not _submitting_ to me, you are _supporting_ me. For a combat metaphor… this is a choreographed fight, not a sparring match."

"Alright." She says, and takes a deep breath in and out. "Let us resume."

###

"What do you think?"

"Uhh, it's great Lucy." Cynthia says with a strained smile. Her sister's fashion sense never ceases to… _intrigue_ her. "The polka dots are an interesting touch."

"Aren't they?" Lucina asks cheerfully as she shows off a bizarre multi-layered dress with a yellow outer layer that has red polka dots, a bodice that's bright green, and the inner layers of the skirt are purple. "It's perfect!"

It clashes _horribly_. Cynthia figures she should probably ask, just in case... "Is that what you plan to wear to the party?"

"Yes!"

Oh Naga, she can't let Lucy go in that. She'd be a laughing stock. "Sis? I know you love it, and I do too, but don't you think it's a bit _informal_ for such an important event?"

"Is it?" Lucina frets. "I'm afraid I don't know what's usually worn to these things."

Cynthia breathes a quiet sigh of relief. "Well honestly your old Marth outfit would work, but if you'd prefer a dress we could go shopping tomorrow."

"I… I want a dress." Lucina decides after a moment of thought. "Yes, definitely a dress."

"Okay then." Cynthia says. She notices Lucina's thought and unusual interest though. "Any special reason?"

"Not really…" Lucina hesitates. Usually she wouldn't complain about an opportunity to wear her Marth outfit. This _is_ unusual for her. "I just thought of something though. Would a dress make dancing more difficult?"

"Well that depends on the dress, but if you're gonna be wearing a standard ballroom gown then probably." Cynthia shrugs. She pauses. "Wait, do you even know _how_ to dance?"

"Well Robin has been teaching me…" Lucina coughs.

"Aha!" Cynthia's eyes light up. "So _that's_ why you want a dress!"

"What?" Lucina is genuinely confused. "Why would you assume that?"

"You want to impress Robin!" The pegasus knight says with a wide smile. "I _never_ thought I'd see the day you tried to clean yourself up for a boy!"

"Clean myself up? You mean I'm not normally pretty…?" Lucina asks with a frown.

"No, I just mean you don't usually put in much effort." Cynthia giggles. "Lucy, I've lived with you your whole life. I _know_ you'd usually be fine with a bath and throwing on an old outfit if it's formal enough. You're very _utilitarian_ about things."

"Ah." Well Lucina can't deny that. She does usually deal with things in a practical way without considerations for aesthetics. Maybe she has a flare for the dramatic sometimes, such as when she was acting as Marth before Grima's fall, but that required little additional effort. "Well, perhaps you're right."

"So tomorrow after lunch, dress hunting?"

"Sure. I put my trust in your judgement Cynthia."

###

The day of the party has come. Yesterday all the dukes and duchesses filed in from around the country, and today they prepare for the main event of the week.

Lucina also prepares with a little help from her sister. The morning she spent in last-minute practice with Robin, and combined with lunch and a few rounds of sparring it left her little time to bathe and get dressed. Thankfully her own preparations, while still more than she's used to, are _much_ less than Cynthia's elaborate dress.

"Gods, how do you breath in this…?" Lucina grimaces at the corset.

"That's actually fairly loose." Cynthia giggles as she helps Lucina into the dress. "You're just not used to it sis. The feeling should go away after a bit."

"I hope so…" The blue-haired girl grunts.

"Now the bodice."

" _Another_ thing tightening my stomach? Joy…"

"Oh shush. Bodices are just for looks, they don't restrict you." Cynthia huffs. "It's not like you to complain sis."

"Sorry." Lucina coughs. "I'm nervous I suppose."

"I can tell." The pegasus knight laughs. "Are you going to need makeup too?"

"I didn't plan on any."

"Of course you didn't." No surprise there. Cynthia has _never_ seen her sister use makeup. "But do you _want_ any?"

Lucina considers it. She understand the value of makeup, it's to enhance appearance just like a dress or a jewelry, but there's something about modifying her _face_ that she doesn't like. "Thank you Cynthia, but I think I'll pass."

"Suit yourself."

In total it takes Lucina about a dozen minutes to get prepared with her sister's help, and according to Cynthia that's _very_ fast. It helps of course that Lucina has no makeup or accessories to worry about, and her dress (while certainly nice) is nowhere near as intricate or complicated as what other noblewomen tend to wear.

Lucina can't imagine herself in a fancy high-collared dress or with any number of absurd hair ornaments or with poofy sleeves and a coraline. The dress she has on now, while fancy, is rather basic. It's all blue with the bodice being navy and the rest being azure, and the skirt is long but not terribly fluffy (there's only a few layers down there, not a dozen) and has stiffer cloth as the first layer to protect the inner, softer, layers from catching on anything. While it might be seen as slightly improper the dress isn't floor-length; it stops just above her boots.

Yes, she's still wearing boots. There's no way she's wearing heels. Her dancing is just barely acceptable as is, and she doesn't need the extra complication. A clean pair of her combat boots are at least fancy-looking enough to be passable (if slightly out of place).

"Girls, are you ready?" Their mother asks as she peeks into the dressing room.

"Just finishing up here…" Cynthia mutters as she ties the last strings on Lucina's bodice. "There we go. How does it feel Lucy?"

The blue-haired girl slowly walks around the room, adjusting to the feeling of having the extra weight around her hips from where the skirt attaches. The corset is still a bit bothersome, but Cynthia was right when she said Lucina would get used to it. "This works."

"Alright!" Cynthia grins and passes Lucina a pair of long gloves that go just past her elbows. The princess slips them on, completing the look. "We're good to go!"

###

"Sir Robin?"

Robin recognizes the voice, but when he turns around he doesn't immediately realize the person standing in front of him is Lucina. To be fair the blue hair should be a dead giveaway, but the dress completely throws him off.

"Sir Robin?" The princess repeats.

"Oh, hello your Highness." The tactician blinks and looks down at her. "I didn't recognize you for a moment."

"Clearly."

"The dress threw me off." Robin admits. When he sees her fidget in embarrassment, he amends the statement. "It looks good! I just wasn't expecting it. I thought you'd wear your Marth outfit."

"Apparently my fondness for that outfit is well known. Cynthia thought much the same when I discussed wearing a dress." Lucina murmurs.

"Well you do wear it _all the time_." Robin reminds her. "When we train, when we dance, when shopping, at dinner-"

"I get the point." Lucina coughs with a blush on her face. "Perhaps I am not so _diverse_ in my attire."

"That's not a bad thing, it's very iconic to you." Robin reassures.

The two spend half an hour chatting and generally avoiding the noisy greetings taking place near the front of the hall. The idea of being swarmed does _not_ appeal to either of them, so despite the pleading looks Chrom sends both of them they stay _firmly_ away from the large group of people.

Inevitably the people start spreading out though, and some nobles make their way over to bothe- to _greet_ the tactician and the princess. They both politely say hello to whoever comes by, but also refuse to be dragged away from their current spot. They are literally back-to-back as they suffer their way through dozens of introductions each.

In an act of petty vengeance, neither Chrom nor Sumia come to the rescue of their friend nor daughter. The Exalt and Queen smirk at the two from across the room where they're enjoying a nice relaxing chat with Maribelle.

It's Lissa who ends up bailing them out and pulling them over to the safety of the few Shepherds who are here. Sully and her husband Kellam are here, as is Kjelle. Frederick is also here, and Ricken and Brady (both clearly avoiding the crowd) are present as well. Lucina and Robin gratefully hide in the small group and make talk with what few Shepherds are here to avoid the other nobles.

Eventually the musicians arrives, and the dance begins. Chrom and Sumia, being the hosts, take the first dance together. Lucina watches her parents intently, noting the fluidity of their movements and how well coordinated they are.

When the first song is ending she plucks up her courage, and turns to Robin. "I would like to attempt a dance. Would you be my partner?"

The tactician smiles and nods. "Of course. Perhaps consider this a test."

He notes the stressed look that crosses her face, and decides maybe that wasn't the best thing to say.

"Never mind." He says as he takes her hand. "Let's just take this easy. Who would you prefer to lead?"

"May I for the first song?"

"Of course."

They assume closed position for the beginning of the dance at the edge of the dance floor. They want to be as out of the way as possible, but it's impossible not to attract _some_ attention. They are two extremely high ranking individuals after all.

Lucina also tries to ignore the curious eyes of her parents on her. They'd probably guessed she can't dance, and are probably surprised to see her attempting to do so.

"Don't look at them, look at _me_." Robin whispers and catches her eye. "Remember the footwork and you'll be fine. Don't worry about small mistakes. I may not be leading, but I _am_ here to catch you. Literally if need be."

" _I dearly hope it won't come to that._ " The princess thinks internally as the next song starts.

The dance goes well enough. The two don't attempt anything unusual, and stick to very basic moves (despite the other dancers following the song much more properly). Lucina makes a few missteps, but Robin covers for her nicely and the mistakes are thankfully not too obvious with the dress obscuring her legs.

Lucina has also learned to not be as forceful when in the lead. Her grip is no longer a vice, and she doesn't whip Robin around like a child swinging around a doll.

"Okay." Robin murmurs as the song comes to an end and they take a moment to rest. "Next dance, this time I lead, alright?"

"Alright." Lucina nods nervously.

"If you don't feel comfortable-"

"No, I can do this." She says determinedly. "Lead me Robin."

He does exactly that, but the tactician pays keen attention for any sign of her usual issues. They've worked on her problems for the last few days and it's finally starting to show results. She no longer fights against him, and has somewhat gotten used to proximity needed for such dances.

Turns still cause her to tense up, probably because of how his hand presses into her side to signal the movement, but that's a minor issue.

At the end of the dance, Robin decides to something unexpected. He slips his hand up from her hip to her upper back and takes a step forward while whispering "dip."

Lucina's eyes widen in alarm, but she does as he asks and allows herself to bend backwards with only his support keeping her from falling. Her face is extremely flushed now from surprise and anticipation, so it catches her off guard when Robin does nothing more than hold the dip and pull her back up.

"Well done." Robin congratulates as the song finishes. "You did well, even with the unexpected dip."

"R-Right, thank you." She stammers.

"You look a bit flustered, are you alright? Maybe we should stop." Robin murmurs.

"Y-Yes, let's."

The rest of the party is not nearly as eventful. Lucina _does_ dance with a few others during the course of the event like her father and Brady, but she doesn't accept requests from other noblemen. Robin is not quite as reluctant, and indulges the less irritating of the noblewomen who ask him.

Lucina pretends she's not watching him the entire time when he does so.

Eventually dinner comes around, and the dancing comes to a stop as large tables are put out over the dance floor to accommodate everyone. It's actually sort of a relief for Lucina, as she doesn't have to test her mediocre dancing skills any further.

After the night is over, and when she and her sister are heading back to their respective rooms, Cynthia asks "so Lucy, how was the dancing? It seems like you can Robin had a bit of _fun_."

"It was enjoyable." Lucina admits. "If a bit stressful."

"A bit too _intense_ for you?" The pegasus knight grins.

Lucina raises an eyebrow. "What are you implying? I don't understand."

Cynthia laughs and skips on ahead. "Nothing sis!"

Lucina shakes her head and follows along behind her energetic younger sister. Today _was_ fun, she would happily dance again at a party. Maybe she should ask Robin if he'll continue her lessons…

* * *

 **That's a good enough end. In case it wasn't clear, this takes place** _ **after**_ **the fall of Grima. Dancer Robin is something I've been trying to find a good way to use for a while. The logical way to do this chapter would have been to do an Olivia pairing for their shared love of dance, but that's sorta… normal. I wanted to do something** _ **interesting**_ **, so I waited on trying to write Dancer Robin until I got a different idea for it.**

* * *

 **ARSLOTHES** **:** No. Just… no.

 **LoveGlutton** **:** Oh I know. You reviewers always have plenty of ideas. It's one of the best things about taking suggestions, I would never have come up all of these on my own.

 **AuraPhoenix1500** **:** I'll be honest, I _love_ demi-human/non-human ideas (both writing them and seeing others use them). I can't get enough of them.

Huh, I never thought of it that way. That is a lot of parallels… that was totally unintentional, but that's kinda cool. I didn't even notice all of that, nice catch. Sometimes you reviewers see more into the stories than I do, and it always surprises me when it happens because you pull out cool things like this.

Depends on _when_ they met, because Alien Robin could be anywhere from a thinly-veiled psychopath to actually somewhat empathetic depending on how far along in her own timeline she is.

Matchmaker Robin is difficult, but I'll probably end up doing it because I love the idea. Still, Cupid Robin has something I might be able to use… hmm… I'll note it down.

I'll give the Robinsexuals a chance at some point. I'm actually really _not_ fond of Say'ri, but I promised to do everyone eventually so she'll get a moment to shine eventually. I'll probably do Tiki first…

Nice hearing from you! Have a good day!

 **1silvergamer2** **:** As much as I might like to say yes… no. It was coincidence.

 **Guest** **:** Alright good. Actually I was thinking of the Greek Furies, not the horsemen.

 **G** **:** Undertaker, Master thief, Guardsmen, Faceless, Shadow are all fine. Weeping angel has already been done (see the chapter Anomaly Robin), and I'm saying no to Chibi outright (it's basically just tiny Robin).

 **Bauers374** **:** That wouldn't do very much to the story, so I'll put it under minor. Robin/Miriel has been done (see the chapter Consistent Amnesia Robin).

 **Tom** **:** Neither can I. That's just _extreme_ man.

 **Guest** **:** Not gonna do that. Sorta out of tone with this whole collection. Fine idea for Varied Awakenings though, so I'll put it in that list.

 **Wrathie Winsre** **:** Muhahaha! I am a _god_ , I can retcon whoever I want! Ahahahaha!

So to make up for it, here's a chapter heavily featuring her. :P

I can totally do gender bender. Not in The Robin Variable, but I can totally do that.

I actually didn't intend to make Chrom a dick, I just wanted him to be paranoid. If it's funny though, I'll count it as a success.

Wait, are we still talking about Plant Robin here? Eh, it doesn't matter. Emmeryn would support _whatever_ makes her siblings happy, that's just who she is.

Well, the nectar she makes is actually part of what can lure things to her. It has a strong sweet smell, and the aphrodisiac effect can make people act impulsively and therefore be easier to snare. It does have the obvious downside, but it's a useful tool.

Hey, I love talking about the theoretical side of things, don't stop on my account.

That's fair. I didn't really have an idea of how Robin could help beyond maybe fighting in the assassination attempt (because the enemy literally comes to the castle, and Robin is in the gardens) so I just didn't bother. I included chess as a way to _allude_ to her tactical abilities, but I wasn't going to throw this idea away just because Robin can't really help. It was too much fun.

That would be _great_. I'm not quite sure how that would work, but I _love_ the idea!

Poor Sumia. Her tripping would be the death of her, literally.

Well I was actually going to give caveman super strength and make him a fort buster (he was going to smash down walls with a club). So, while perhaps not skillfully, he _could_ smash in a war situation.

I didn't even know that was an option.

Oh definitely. I can imagine the total paranoia Grima could sew by pretending to be other people (or maybe multiple people, imagine him having a conversation with himself in two different voices so that someone he knows is eavesdropping thinks those people are planning something, the possibilities are limitless!)

I suppose it is well used in her supports… but I just find it _exceedingly_ annoying. Personal preference is all, she's a fine character.

Pfft, children? Who needs children? They can all die and you can complete the game just fine :P

Yeah, I can imagine that. It would actually be in character too, I can totally see Chrom saying something corny like that unironically.

We'll see.

-Insert joke about FEA being a dating sim here- But yeah, it was a nice to be able to choose all that. A "woman's battle?" being different? I beg to differ. A war is a war, no matter who's fighting it. Besides, I'm firmly of the opinion that Men and Women are not that fundamentally different, so I'm going to disagree on that. Although admittedly social context does tend to shape the personalities of men and women in different directions, so in that case I suppose I could understand your view, but I blame that firmly on _society_ and not biology.

Frederick being lenient on women? I mean, maybe… but I like to think he'd be a hardass no matter what, because his job is to make sure everyone is combat ready and being a girl doesn't grant you magical protection from a sword in the gut. (Though that might just be projection on my part, I dislike the idea of someone getting special treatment because of their gender so I tend to write that viewpoint into the protagonists of whatever I'm writing, even if it's not fitting for the setting).

Gotta have flaws, yeah. OP characters _can_ be fun (One Punch Man anyone?) but it's a difficult thing to do. That's partially why I shy away from combat focus when I write these chapters, because _so many_ of these powers could be total story breakers.

Maribelle got an awful introduction, she was shown to basically be a bitch that cares only about Lissa and being 'proper'. Granted, the mission where she gets rescued shows a better side of her (and her supports with Ricken really lightened me up to her character as a whole) but that first impression really screwed over my opinion of her. Even Vaike (who's annoying to me) has both his positives _and_ negatives shown in his introduction where he's easy going but a bit of an oaf. In-universe though, _everyone_ knew it wasn't Maribelle's fault. Gangrel is a nut, plain and simple. If it wasn't for Maribelle being captured, there would have been _more_ damage by 'bandit' raids before the war started, leaving Ylisse even worse off.

I once thought up an idea to try and incorporate seals into the story, but I left out the idea because it was too complicated and frankly unnecessary. Over the course of reading a number of fanfics I've seen people try to incorporate different ideas several times (someone actually tried to incorporate the battle grid, it was an interesting idea) but usually only Skills are the easy thing to fit in.

Don't let me distract you if you're busy. I appreciate your reviews, and I'd miss them if you stopped, but your life is far more important that my temporary enjoyment of a review.

I don't actually know how bad Chrom's father was in-game. He's not really mentioned all that often. We know he screwed over Plegia, but I don't actually think there's anything said about him being bad to his kids. We know basically nothing about their mother either. I basically decided that Emmeryn and Lissa got a fairly normal education and upbringing under their mother, and Chrom was the one who got all these terrible ideas shoved down his throat because of his father (many of which he ignored to be fair, he _knew_ his father wasn't a good person) but the lack of a _good_ role model aside from Frederick (who is extremely formal and works tirelessly) lends to his utter social incompetence especially around women, and tendency to overwork himself.

Frederick _certainly_ would not approve, but he doesn't approve of petty notions like 'free time' and 'relaxing', so that's not a surprise.

I think I like that last one. Tharja knows how, but won't do it to anyone but Robin.

Yeah Morgan might, but Robin totally could too. Just because she's competent doesn't mean she can't _pretend_ to mess up to invoke that protective urge. It's just occurring to me now how super manipulative this whole idea is. This actually seems fitting of a Yandere character to do something like this.

See you around!


	48. Fairy Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **Minor: Dark Flier, Immortal, Boxer (Pugilist), Exploitive, Swordmaster, Angry Cinnamon Roll, Tripping, Perpetual Cheer, Chef, Blacksmith, Pegasus Knight, Teacher, Librarian, Masochist, Literal-Minded, Authoritative, Middle Age, Wyvern Rider, Phobia, Thicc, Tsundere, Damsel in Distress, Gangrel's Child, Wyvern Rider, Child, Communist, Bomber, Bear Cavalry, Flying, ADHD, Super Strength, Patriotic.**

 **Standard: Elemental, Deaf, Foreign, Future sight, Nurse/Medic, Valmese Tactician, Medusa, Amazon, Genderfluid, Gift from Validar + evil to good, Mind Control, Banshee, Mimic, Emotionless, Crippling Overspecialization (Idiot Savant), Coward, ESP, POW, PTSD, Magician, Mute, Handicapped, Secret Helper, Crazy, Morpher, Dreamwalker, Motherly, Twins, Regenerating, Animal Whisperer, Naga/Tiki Assistant, Sleepless, Deadly Touch, Mind Reader, Doppelganger, Arachne, D &D magic, Umbramancer, Horror Monster, Detective, No Sense of Personal Space, Shota, Dominatrix, Songstress, Kinky, Matchmaker, Androphobic, Fashion Designer, Illusionist, Attraction Aura, Ring Maker.**

 **Unlikely: Chrom's child, Minotaur, Paladin, Werewolf, Assassin, Future Soldier, Bounty Hunter, Weather control, Kleptomaniac, Druid, Steampunk, Shadow Familiar, Magic Augmentation, Lucky, Exile, Piper (Charmer), Gladiator, Witch Doctor, Centaur, Drunk, Demon, Punk, Harpy, Revenant, Luck Manipulation, Demon Summoner, Megalomaniac, Kitsune, King of Plegia, Mood Ring, Reverse Aging, Hammerspace, Prostitute, Demon Hunter, Cyborg, Maid/Servant/Butler, Deadlord, Rebellion, Einherjar, Trap, Yandere, Living Weapon, Size Shifter, Queen of Plegia, Gluttonous, Stretchy, Ninja, Alchemist, Protoss, Spirit Manipulation, Invisible, Plegian Honor Guard, Mecha, Kryptonian, Creator, Orc, Memory Stealing Respawn, Racer, Khan, Elder God, Misfortune, Vampire Hunter, Geokinetic, Imaginary Actualization, Death, Resurrection, Arachne, Force, Merchant, Background Music, Variable, Civilian, Natural Disaster, Mental Noise Projection, Hidden OP, Summoner, Cyclops, Teleporter, Cryokinetic, Genie, Judge, Intangibility, Fortune Teller, Future Vision, Serial Killer, Pervert, Stalker, Magic Fixit, Drakengard Restoration, Ying-Yang, Childhood Friend, Cyberpunk, Chrom's Mother, Obsessed, Berserker, Phase Shift, Gravity Manipulation, Hallucinating, Bladesoul, Zombie, Double Entendre, Shared Body/Two Souls, Cannibal, Singer, Violent, Insane, Waterbender, Casanova, Cupid, Undertaker, Master Thief, Guard, Faceless, Shadow, Age Control, Cradle Snatcher, Emo, Singer, Nun, Courier, Haunted Knight Armor, Egyptian, Sentient Object, Shit Lord, Court Wizard, Naga's sibling, Mad Queen, Artist.**

 **Other: Pokemon Trainer, Self-insert, Second Generation replacement, Dimensional Walker, Cycle, Fates.**

 **Here's one suggested by Invisible Prince. Fairy Robin. SquidbaggerOfWoomyAndNgyesness, I'm going to be counting this as Tiny Robin as well. Also, to wherever wanted a story where Robin started married (I can't remember who asked for it) here you go.**

* * *

For a moment when Frederick wakes up, he thinks his wife has suddenly grown. Then he realizes she's sitting on his nose.

"Morning Dear." The girl coos. She's sitting cross-legged on the tip of his nose, and Frederick can barely feel it. His wife is a literal featherweight. She's about the size of a hummingbird, has cream-colored skin, gold eyes, short orange hair with gold streaks, and four thin dragonfly wings sprouting from her back. Frederick knows from experience that unlike actual dragonfly wings Robin's wings can fold up to be seamlessly flush with her back if she needs them out of the way.

"Good morning…" Frederick mumbles. Robin flutters into the air as he rubs his eyes and squints against the morning sun-

The _sun_?! He should be up _before_ the sun! He's supposed to inspect everyone's weapons and armor, he missed his morning exercise routine, he _didn't start the cooking fire_!

"Dear, calm down." Robin says as the knight scrambles into his armor. She settles into his hair as he affixes his pauldrons."You-"

"My apologies Robin, I'm very late!" Frederick says as he rushes out of their tent. Robin rolls her eyes as she rides on his head. She wonders if this is what riding a horse is like for him.

Everyone they pass is treated to the odd sight of Frederick jogging across the camp with an urgent look while Robin is sitting with her legs tangled in his hair, totally unphased and very amused.

"Frederick…" Robin sighs with a smile. "Stop."

"I am late Robin!" Frederick shouts as he rushes to the command tent where he knows his liege will be. He pushes open the tent and ducks inside.

"Frederick?" Chrom blinks in surprise when the man comes rushing in.

"A thousand apologies M'lord. I overslept." The knight says while bowing to the prince. Robin casually waves at the boy from her seat on top of Frederick's head.

"Frederick…" Chrom chuckles. "Don't you remember?"

"M'lord?"

"We've stopped at a village, remember Frederick?" Chrom chuckles. "I told you yesterday you could have the day off."

"I…" Frederick blinks owlishly. "I forgot."

"Clearly." The prince chuckles. "Robin, why didn't you remind him?"

"He charged out of our tent before I could get a word in." Robin shrugs. She untangles her legs from the man's hair and flutters her way onto his shoulder instead. It's only now that's Frederick has calmed down that he notices his wife's dress, which is a very telling sign there were no plans today. She's not wearing her armor as she normally would for marches or combat, and is instead dressed in a pale green gypsy dress.

"Well, at least you slept in Frederick." Chrom says with a shake of his head.

"Yes, well… that wasn't my intent." Frederick grimaces. "What if today had not been a day off?"

"Dear, the only reason you slept in was because I dusted you." Robin reassures. "You don't have to worry about that."

"Ah." Frederick had forgotten about that. Then again since 'being dusted' means Robin used her sleep dust on him, perhaps it's not _surprising_ he forgot.

"Go and enjoy your day off Frederick." Chrom chuckles. "We have Cordelia responsible for obtaining new supplies and doing your usual duties, so don't worry about it."

"But who will guard you Milord?" The knight says nervously. "I cannot leave you unprotected!"

"I will be going with Cordelia. I'll be fine Frederick." Chrom says with a roll of his eyes. "Just enjoy free time with your wife, won't you?"

"I- of course Milord." Frederick says with a stiff bow.

"Have a good day Robin." The prince says to the fairy as they leave. "You have your work cut out for you."

"I am well aware." Robin hums. A wry smile crosses her face. "Don't worry, I'll come out on top."

" _They speak of me as if I am a problem to be overcome…_ " Frederick thinks while hiding a grimace. To Robin he asks, "Am I such a challenge?"

"A little bit Dear." The girl says with a laugh. She kisses the man on the cheek (which he can barely feel) "but I am equal to the challenge."

That's not quite what Frederick was hoping to hear.

###

"Dear, relax."

"I am."

"No, you really aren't." Robin says in an amused voice. "That's the fifth time you've looked over your shoulder in the last two minutes."

The two of them are walking around the village center. They had no plan for the day beyond the other's company, and as such are in search of something to do… or at least Robin is. Frederick seems preoccupied with glancing at the horizon.

"My apologies." The knight grimaces. He forces himself to focus on his wife fluttering beside him, and not the possibility of an attack appearing on the horizon at any moment.

"The instincts of a guard and soldier are not so easily suppressed, hmm?" The fairy smiles.

"Quite." Frederick coughs in embarrassment. "Again, I am sorry Robin."

"That's fine Dear." Robin hums. "Perhaps when we find something to do you'll be less on edge."

"Yes, perhaps." The knight agrees. He glances around quickly to find _something_ to do. He spots a merchant, an Anna, couched between two buildings with a small stall set up. "I am in need of a new dagger. Perhaps we could spare a moment…?"

"Shopping? Sure." Robin chirps. "Lead the way."

As seems normal for an Anna, her prices are absurdly high and she tries her very best to persuade them that what she has to offer is infinitely better than what other merchants have to offer.

Robin and Frederick end up going to the general store, and buy the same dagger for a third the price. If there is one thing Frederick has learned from haggling with merchants over the years it's that you _never_ trust an Anna. Not all Annas are swindlers, but there are so many that _are_ swindlers it's better not to take a chance.

"What do you need a new dagger for anyways?" Robin asks curiously as they leave.

"My last one has been filed down to such an extent I'm afraid it's no longer fit for use." Frederick coughs as he pulls out his old dagger from its sheath. It's barely a dagger anymore, looking more like a sharpened spike on a hilt.

"Frederick dear."

"Yes?"

"How often did you sharpen this?"

"After every meal of course."

"Ah." Robin is clearly fighting a smile. "I see, and how long did it last?"

"Two years."

"Right." The fairy coughs, holding back laughter. "Dear… have you ever considered that maybe a dagger _doesn't_ have to be sharpened after every meal?"

"But of course it does! Just like a sword, axe, or spear, a dagger must always be prepared to fulfill its purpose in as optimal a capacity as possible!" Frederick says with certainty. He pauses at hearing his wife snort, and then start giggling uncontrollably. "Erm… have I said something amusing?"

"I-It's nothing Dear." Robin laughs. "That's very _you_."

"Thank you?"

###

"So… you're a fairy." The clothier says as she glances between Robin and her husband. Robin's smile immediately grows strained. That's never a good sign. She knows what's going to follow and tries to head off the question she knows is going to follow.

"Yes, and can you have my order done by tomorrow? Robin says. "We're only here for a day, but it's literally a small order..."

"Oh yes, of course, yes." The lady says. She seems a bit caught off guard by Robin ignoring her comment. "I can probably have it done in a few hours with how small it is."

"Good, thank you." Robin says quickly. She quickly calls for her husband to block this conversation. "Frederick dear! Would you mind paying?"

Thankfully she escapes the building without having to deal with the clothier's curiosity. Over a year of campaigning and stopping at villages has well-acquainted her with the blunt curiosity of some village folk, and she's tired of having to tell them to fuck off and mind their own business all the time.

She usually says it more politely than that of course.

"Robin, are we in a rush?" Frederick asks. It's only then that Robin notices how quickly she's flying, and slows down to a more reasonable level.

"No, no, we're not. I merely wanted to be out of there." Robin huffs as she straightens her dress. "The clothier was nosey."

"Really? I heard no question." The knight comments.

"She was about to ask." Robin grumbles. She takes a seat on Frederick's shoulder as he continues to walk. "The leading question is always the same. 'So you're a fairy…' is what they say."

"And what is the second question?"

"It… well there's a few things." Robin admits. " _Sometimes_ it's benign like 'do you only have to eat a little because you're so small?' or 'are your wings delicate?' but since I've gotten married the questions have been intrusive."

"How so?"

"Well…" Robin decides how she should phrase this. "May I be blunt Dear?"

"Of course. You may be honest with me Robin." Frederick says firmly. He raises a hand and (very very gently) places a finger on her shoulder in reassurance.

Robin leans into the touch as she speaks. "They keep asking about how sex works with my size."

"Oh." Frederick has _no_ idea what to say to that, except: "How very rude of them."

"I know, right?" Robin growls. Her wings flutter furiously, and she's only kept sitting because of Frederick's finger on her shoulder. "It's none of _their_ business!"

"I will go and address this behaviour immediately." Frederick says firmly, and he turns around to walk back to the shop.

"No! No!" Robin says hastily. "Don't, please!"

"Are you sure Robin?" The knights asks in concern. "If this behaviour is not discouraged, it will fester-"

"Frederick, _everyone_ is nosey just because I'm different." Robin sighs. "Unless you can fix _everyone_ , scolding one person won't do much."

"Ah." That's a bitter pill to swallow: the fact that for once he can't fix the problem. "There is nothing I can do?"

"You've already done something." Robin murmurs. "You listened. Thank you Dear."

"Of course. I'm glad I could help."

###

"Robin…"

"Hmmm?"

"Am I _work_ to you?"

The two are sitting under a tree at the edge of the village, eating lunch. They bought a berry pie for lunch, which incidentally is delicious.

"What do you mean?" Robin asks through a mouthful of food.

"Earlier you said you were 'equal to the challenge' I pose…" Frederick says slowly. "And I worry that I am a problem for you. I realize I am often extremely focused on Milord-"

"Stop there!" Robin says as she flutters up in front of him. She has her hands on her hips and a scowl on her face. "You are not a _problem_."

"You said I was a bit of a challenge." Frederick reminds her.

"And I stand by that." Robin says honestly. She moves and sits on his nose. "You're a bodyguard, and a very diligent one at that. I knew coming into this that I would have even less time with you during the war than might be expected from a wartime relationship in the first place." Her expressions softens. "I'm no different Frederick. I'm a challenge too. I'm a _tactician_ , I have almost no free time either. There's also the fact that I'm a _fairy_ , and that poses several problems to our relationship merely due to my size."

As much as Frederick wants to tell her that it's not an inconvenience… he would be lying. Her small size _is_ problematic on occasion. "It would seem we both pose problems to each other, wouldn't it?"

"And we got married anyways." Robin reminds him. She leans forward so her head touches his brow (which amusingly makes the knight go cross-eyed as he tries to focus on her). "We both knew what we were doing Frederick. I meant it mostly as a joke when I said you were a challenge. You are not one more so than myself."

"Of course. My pardon for needlessly worrying." Frederick murmurs.

"Okay, you _have_ to stop apologizing for everything Dear." The fairy huffs. "You're allowed to worry."

Nowi's draconic voice suddenly echoes through the air as she comes soaring over the village. "Risen incoming! All Shepherds grab your weapons and stuff and head to the town plaza!"

Just like that, the peaceful air is shattered. Robin and Frederick immediately dash towards the camp, needing to grab their weapons. They charge into camp and then their tent, with Frederick scrambling into his armor much like he did in the morning and Robin changing out of her dress into her metal armor.

Robin's armor makes her look like a large steel wasp when combined with her lance, and you might think that having a solid inch of steel all around her body when she's so small would be impractically heavy for her but much like an ant Robin is _much_ stronger than her small size would indicate and the metal doesn't weigh her down too much.

Her wings are vulnerable though, there's no way to armor those up without making her unable to fly. But otherwise she's hard to hit and deceptively tough.

Frederick has to stop by the stable to grab his mare, so Robin heads straight for the plaza. She finds Chrom listening to a report by Cordelia in the midst of many other Shepherds ushering villagers into houses or stores so that they'll be safe.

"Chrom!" Robin barks as she gets close. "What's the situation?!"

"We have a large pack of Risen approaching from the west. Cordelia spotted great knights and wyvern lords, so it looks like an elite squad." Chrom says grimly. "There's at about thirty of them."

"Right." Robin scowls under her helmet as she quickly thinks up a plan. "Alright. If we're against riders there's no way we can keep a defensive position. They'll smash right through us with their momentum. We need to go out there and hit them on their flanks."

"Right." Chrom turns to the other Shepherds. "Anyone with a mount, form up and move out! Flank around their side and disorganized them! Everyone else, be prepared to enter the battle after the Risen formation is broken!"

Robin flutters up high so she can get a proper view of the battlefield. The Risen are a lot closer than she thought. It's a good thing they sent the Shepherds out now, because in a dozen seconds they definitely wouldn't have the time.

The Risen outnumber them two to one, and that's not counting the fact that not even half the Shepherds are mounted so the few Shepherds that are making the initial strike are outnumbered at _least_ four to one.

"Archers, mages, we need supporting fire _immediately_!" Robin barks as loudly as she can. It's times like these she hates how small she is because her voice is quieter and more high-pitch than a human's, and therefore harder to hear.

Thankfully the others are used to listening for Robin, and spring into action. Miriel, Ricken, Tharja, and Virion start firing on the Risen to take some pressure off the mounted Shepherds as they smash into the side of the Risen formation. The infantry Shepherds rush in after they see the Risen start wheeling around to deal with the sudden attack, as now they won't have to worry about the brunt of a charge.

Robin takes that as her cue to rush in as well. There's honestly not much more strategy to do. It's just a matter of fighting skill now that the Risen's main advantage, a headlong charge, is taken away.

The fairy flies headlong into battle. Risen are a pain for her. She can't just slash their throats or eyes like she can for human opponents, and her dusts have no effect on them. Instead Robin is limited to playing a support role by annoying foes or using her helpful dusts on allies.

Yes, her dust can do more than put people to sleep. It can also paralyze or induce hallucinations, but it can also do helpful things like reduce stress and prevent panic, increase focus, boost adrenaline, or reduce pain. All four of those benefits are deceptively useful in combat despite not being as _flashy_ as inducing sleep, paralysis, or hallucinations.

So that's why Robin spends most of the flight fluttering over everyone's head, sprinkling dust down on them from her wings. She occasionally dive-bombs a Risen when they look like they're getting the best of a Shepherd, but otherwise focuses on dusting the Shepherd's frontline.

"Pick a god and pray!" Frederick snarls as he crashes into a Risen great knight. The undead monster crumples under the attack as Frederick's lance breaks through the rusted armor on its side and impale the creature.

Robin smiles at seeing her husband tear through the undead monsters. He really does look dashing in his bright armor, and even with his helmet on Robin can spot his serious and stoic expression.

No, no, she shouldn't be getting distracted. She can gush over her husband later, she should be focusing on the fight. These wyvern lords are posing a massive issue, she should sting a few to take the pressure off the the infantry.

Her wings flutter furiously as she flies high. Intercepting a flying opponent is risky, especially for someone of her size, but it's a skill she's taken time to learn. It's a lot like jousting; you want to let your weapon hit the opponent while avoiding a collision. She usually aims for the throat, but with Risen hitting the eye is going to be more useful.

She spies a wyvern and its rider bearing down on Vaike, and speeds forward to attack. Her body is almost totally horizontal to prevent wind resistance, and her lance is sticking straight forward as she moves on an intercept course. As she zips by the rider's face she sticks out her lance and slashes into the eye for a brief moment. She can't do a normal stab, because if her weapon gets stuck in the eye she's going to lose it and be unarmed.

The rider hisses in irritation, but the damage is done. It's axe goes wide, missing Vaike, and the blonde man capitalizes by burying his axe in the rider's chest and killing it.

"Thanks Rob!" The man grunts.

Robin nods, even though Vaike isn't looking at her, and chooses her next target while sprinkling dust over her allies all the while.

###

"I am fine Robin." Frederick coughs in slight embarrassment as the girl flutters over his injury, showering it in numbing dust. It's not anything to worry about in his mind. Lissa already healed him up as much as she could without giving him mana sickness, and the shoulder injury is little more than large bruise now. "Princess Lissa has already given me something for the pain."

"That doesn't mean I'm not concerned." The fairy huffs, though she does stop with the numbing dust. Instead she moves over to rest on his head, and switches over to relaxation (stress reduction) dust. She wants to help her husband, Naga be damned if everything has already been done.

Frederick glances up at his wife. Of her body can only see her legs dangling down from his hair, but the light dusting (pun intended) of shimmering gold dust twinkles in his vision as the light bounces off individual particles. "Truly I am fine. There is no need to exert yourself. Save your dust."

"It's literally magic. I can't run out." Robin huffs.

"But it takes effort." Frederick counters. "I know you are getting tired Robin."

"We're going to sleep soon anyways." Robin says stubbornly. "I'm keeping it up."

"I insist." The knight says. He reaches up and gently grabs the fairy off his head. Robin _could_ easily escape, Frederick is not really _gripping_ her so much as he is carrying her. He never risks putting pressure on her body despite her reassurances that she's not nearly as frail as she appears. "I will not have you exerting yourself unnecessarily for my sake. Your presence on its own is calming, there is no need for magic."

"Fine…" Robin grumbles as Frederick carefully holds her in his hands. They're in their tent at the moment, and Frederick is sitting cross-legged on his cot with his shirt off at Robin's insistence because she wanted to see his injury. It's already past dinner, and lights out should be coming soon. "If you feel _anything_ though, even a little discomfort, tell me!"

"Of course."

"That better mean 'yes honey, I understand' and not 'I'm going to say yes and then not tell you when I'm in pain because I'm too manly'!" Robin threatens. The knight absently notes the heat in his cheeks and his heart beating in his chest at her intensity born of worry and affection.

"Well…" Frederick coughs. "Perhaps I wouldn't mention minor discomfort."

"Unacceptable!" Robin flies up so she's right in his face. Her hands grip the tip of his nose as she glares at him. " _Anything_ , got it?!"

"Yes Robin." Frederick says, unable to hide a content smile. "My apologies."

"And no apologies!" She barks. Robin notices the way he's smiling, and her pout grows even more severe. "What are you smiling at?! I'm getting _mad_ here!"

"I appreciate your worry Robin." Frederick says softly. Again, he brings up a hand and pulls her off him, but that's only so he can properly land a kiss on her forehead (or really her whole face due to the size difference) and the girl's incensed buzzing slows to a calmer flutter. "I am blessed to have you."

"And I you…" Robin mutters reluctantly. "That's not fair by the way! You can give these _big_ hugs and kisses, but I'm _tiny_ so you can barely feel my affection!"

"Not so." Frederick chuckles. "I feel it in your worry, the dust you shed for me, your determination to make me relax. I feel it all the time Robin."

"Still…" Robin pouts as her husband cradles her against his chest. She rests her head there and folds up her wings, and she futilely tries to wrap her arms around his comparatively massive form. "Not fair."

"And you can fly and sprinkle magic dust. I would hardly call _that_ fair." The knight smiles.

"Okay, maybe you're right." She pouts as Frederick strokes her hair with his thumb. "I wish I could be big even just for a little bit at a time, or if there was a way to make you small, or just a way for us to be the same size for a bit…"

"Perhaps Miriel could help." Frederick hums. " _After_ the war is over. There are more pressing matters at the moment."

"Yeah…" She mumbles tiredly. "We should sleep by the way."

"That would be a prudent decision."

"I want to sleep with you tonight." Robin says. She usually sleeps in her own bedroll just above his head. Her husband fears crushing her, which is absurd. She's like a cockroach, except a lot more pretty! Maybe that's a bad comparison… but the point is she's not frail!

"Robin…" Frederick says apprehensively. This is hardly the first time they've had this conversation, and he is still not convinced.

"Come one, pleaaase?" Robin says. "You're injured, right? So there's no way you'll roll over because it would hurt you!"

Yes, she is shamelessly taking advantage of the fact that he's injured so she can do this. Who knows when she'll get another chance though?!

Frederick is nervous about this, but maybe because of Robin's stress relieving dust earlier making him less wary he reluctantly allows it. He lies down in his bedroll, and Robin brings over her pillow and bedroll and sets it down on his chest. Frederick was expecting her to lie _next_ to him, not _on_ him, but he can't bring himself to say no now that she's here.

"Night Dear." Robin coos as she flutters over to the light. She extinguishes it and makes her way back over to where they're sleeping. Frederick can just barely feel the kiss she gives his forehead, and only slightly more the weight of her settling into her bedroll.

"Goodnight Robin." He doesn't care though. He wouldn't trade her featherlight affections for the world. He closes his eyes, and allows sleep to take him after such an exhausting day.

* * *

 **I think this was a decent chapter. I actually had no idea what I was going to do going into this. I realized about halfway through that Robin's powers were totally irrelevant, so I added in the fight so they could be shown off.**

* * *

 **NinjaGogeta** **:** Unfortunately you're correct, something like that would be _extremely_ hard to pull off, not to mention I generally say no to something that's basically a crossover. Psychic manifestations are something I can do, but explicitly Yu-gi-oh is a definite no.

 **Taco** **:** To each their own. I don't really have an issue with the adult/child pairing thing for much the same reason I take no issue with the whole Nowi controversy (as long as people are mentally and legally adults, they shouldn't be stopped by petty things like physical peculiarities and age difference).

Hmm… well gunpowder is a thing I've done before, and explosives are actually pretty old (9th century I think?) so I can probably find some way for that to work.

Designer is _definitely_ something I can do. I've had practice writing such things from my other main story (Five Stars) because one of the main characters is skilled in fashion.

I presume this is in a Nowi/Tiki sorta way where Robin is _technically_ really old?

Sure. Pretty minor thing.

Flying? Also minor. Sure.

That's an interesting one. Difficult, but interesting.

ADHD, also (probably) minor.

Super Strength has _not_ been mentioned, though I'll incorporate it where appropriate. On it's own I'm not sure it can really hold a chapter, it's a pretty minor quirk all things considered.

Illusionist is a good one. I like it.

Depending on how risque the suggestion is I may move it over to Varied Awakenings. The most lewd _this_ collection is going to get is going to be things like Angel Robin. Not because I particularly _dislike_ NSFW suggestions or don't want to write them, but because I don't think it's quite what people have come to expect from this collection.

 **LoveGlutton** **:** I'll admit I'm rather indifferent to the pairing myself. I have a different preferred pairing for Lucina, and I don't usually use Male Robin. That said, I have nothing _against_ the pairing (I'm fine will _all_ pairings as a rule, it's just a matter of how well they're written).

 **Half-beastdragonsoul2013** **:** Yep. I hoped my exceedingly minor fashion knowledge was enough to create a convincing fashion disaster.

 **Darkness is complete** **:** Ooh, I like it. Kinda like Succubus Robin, but he/she has no way to hide it… yeah, that'll be fun.

 **Gilgamesh King of Mongrels** **:** Incidentally, those two chapters were some of my favourite to write.

Emo? I'll put it down. That's gonna take some research if I ever do it though, I'll admit I don't know what emo is beyond being overly edgy.

I suppose that could work… gotta find a way to differentiate it from Bard then. Hmm…

A nun? You want no romance?! Joking side, that's a fine idea. Not quite sure how I could justify her being a tactician or a fighter, but I'm sure I can think of something after a bit of research…

 **G** **:** Messenger is fine.

Sorta like a ghost?

How does this even work? 'Egyptian' is a very generic term.

Sure. That's interesting.

Teacher is interesting. I like it.

Your reference is lost on me, but from what I gather you're suggesting Robin is a sentient object like a heart that speaks to people?

 **Guest (X6, or maybe you're the same person?)** **:** I'm not a movie person, I don't know that one.

Yes, it does. I _love_ that chapter. I do actually have two other chapters in Varied Awakenings dealing with Lucina and the Morgans as succibi as well if you're interested.

I mean… _someone_ has probably done Manakete Morgan. There's this fanfic called Cycles which has something like that I think.

Yay!

I've actually considered that. It was half the inspiration behind Communication Issues Robin. Shit Lord Robin is just… I mean… he sorta has to be a good guy, remember. Also a tactician. I'll put it down though. Court wizard is a curious one, it's not like magic is _rare_ in this world, so I'm not sure how necessary it is, but I _do_ like the idea. Naga's sibling lends to Robin being _absurdly_ OP, but I can work with that. Patriotic is a very minor character trait, so I'll put it down as minor.

Okay, that's true.

 **Wrathie Winsre** **:** I wanted to distinguish him from Olivia, so I tried something different and more subtle and it may not have hit the mark.

If I wrote that, it was probably a typo.

No, I'm fine. I don't mind writing Lucina, it's just that I don't feel a particular need to include in every chapter her or make sure she exists.

Yeah, Robin here isn't too tactical. Again, I wanted to distinguish him from Olivia so I didn't include combat.

I could have every chapter be about Robin using his quirk to overcome some combat scenario, but that's not the point of this collection. To be 'Robin' they just have to be the Shepherd's tactician. They don't have to _do_ tactical stuff in the chapter or even have the story be _about_ them, those are unnecessary restrictions; the point of this collection is to _show off the quirk_ , and a quirk doesn't have to be "flashy" or "special" (because that's just another arbitrary restriction).

So the point is… you _are_ right. This chapter is not about Robin, and his quirk isn't very special, but that's not really relevant. Robin is still a main character in that chapter, his quirk is still shown off properly, and (most importantly) it's a _fun_ chapter.

Besides, if a chapter had to be Robin-focused, at least a quarter of the chapters I've written should be disqualified for being Chrom-centric. :P

Thanks for your comment though! I had to do some reflection on what it is that makes a chapter of this collection a good chapter, which I would never have done if you hadn't said that.

Moving on from all that.

I've lost track of what this is about, but as long as you're amused I'm happy.

But if people didn't die that often, it wouldn't be horror! And who doesn't love some good old easily-preventable death and mayhem?

Emm would support it because it makes Chrom happy, so long as Robin is also okay with it, and if they're both okay with it there's really no reason for it not to happen. Also, Emm doesn't have meta knowledge of Lucina existing in other dimensions, she's not a goddess (in the literal sense anyways), and Chrom is _not_ his father. Again, as long as both of them are okay with it, there's no reason beyond petty ones that it shouldn't happen.

Lol. Okay. I'll say no more.

I mean, I _could_ have found some way to make her a involved in combat tactics by making her a potted plant so she could be carried around… but an Alraune was a lot more fun. Also no, not _deadly_ , but the spores can put people to sleep, and the nectar is an aphrodisiac. The former admittedly has a lot more military applications that the latter.

I mean, I think he clumsiness is limited to the ground. So as long as she stays _on_ the pegasus she's fine… I think it's basic military training she wouldn't have passed.

Very true for Vaike, though the Cordelia pairing was planned _before_ I decided on exactly how 'wild' would be interpreted. Originally I was going to contrast Cordelia's training with Robin's raw power.

Ah, right, of course. Maybe I'll have to try turning them on some time…

Well long distance communication is a _hugely_ useful tool, but one the FEA universe doesn't seem to have considering they use messengers for even extremely important messages most of the time.

That's a fair point for Grima, I was treating voice mimicry as an inborn ability and not a _skill_ Robin had, but if we assume that's not the case then that could very well be true.

Yeah… it's kinda weird how my personal opinion is the exact _opposite_ of public opinion in that way. After all, I like Severa even _less_ than her mother. She's one of the three characters I'd say I actively dislike.

Well you'd need Robin to be alive as well, even if you don't use them. Lucina doesn't actually have to survive you know. As soon as you recruit her she can die, and the story will continue. It's _just_ Robin and Chrom that has to survive (and you can totally win with just Robin and Chrom, Robin is OP, just Chrom or just Chrom and Lucina might be difficult unless Lucina is Robin's daughter).

I like to think most of Chrom's proposals happen by accident (like Angel or Houndmaster) because it seems very fitting. Either that or his partner proposes…

I mean… hmm… I don't know. There are some aspects that might be different, but the military is a very _logical_ place. You don't decide things on a whim, it's _logic_ and what's _effective_ , and being male or female doesn't change what's effective. So _maybe_ the priorities would be different, and hobbies maybe, but ways of engagement and lifestyle are the way they are because they're _effective_ and _efficient_ , and you can't honestly think monthly issues are going to stop a soldier or ruler from doing their job to their utmost ability.

Okay, quick question. How realistically are we taking this? Because in reality low-cut armor is an _awful_ idea for obvious reasons, _relying_ on someone underestimating you is a risky plan, and differing romantic interests does _not_ justify a difference in military strategy. Again, military strategy is the way it is because it's effective, not because men have different romantic inclinations then women or vice versa.

I'm assuming female Chrom isn't that different than male Chrom. Still a strong leader, still a bit of a dork, still hopeless in romantic matters… but if we assume that's different, then _everything_ changes. If she's not military-inclined, the Shepherds aren't going to exist and Chrom probably isn't leading the war (because Emmeryn is almost certainly more qualified).

I'm very lost. Where do the Shepherds factor into the "women's war" argument? Or is this about Chrom again?

That would be a very boring tactics game. It better focus more on inter-character relationships then.

I can't deny that. It was a good move.

Yeah. Miriel and Sully don't get as much of an introduction. Sort of a shame. I'm indifferent to Sully, but I like Miriel. They are both stock characters to be fair though.

Yeah… and that's mostly on Emm I suppose.

Game mechanics _can_ be incorporated, but often times they end up seeming very 'meta' if you try to incorporate them directly. At least, that's my opinion.

Erm… well I wouldn't say he was _good_ at leading the country, the people sorta hated the royal family after it ended, remember? As for him teaching Chrom… he taught the boy _some_ useful lessons… and some not so useful ones… and may have missed out on some key things that Chrom then had to make assumptions for (which is how we get Chrom's romantic incompetence and why I write him as being disgusted/horrified/fearful of lust from himself and not knowing how to deal with it from others resulting in fear and anxiety). I don't blame Frederick so much because, to be frank, sexuality is not something I think Frederick would have been equipped to teach Chrom about. At least, I _assume_ not. Frederick isn't that much older than Chrom is he? Again though, just my opinion.

I don't think Frederick ever chills. If Chrom gets married, that's just one more person for Frederick to fuss over (or more if there are children).

Oho~

That's fair. I suppose matchmaker _usually_ has good intentions.

Pardon for seeming a bit ranty this time around. No ill intent towards you. I'm very bad at articulating my thoughts apparently. I've noticed I tend to come off as a bit _rude_ , even if that's not my intent whatsoever.

Nice to hear from you again!

 **bwburke94** **:** Fixed.

 **Cyberchao X** **:** Good to hear!

 **Lobotimite** **:** Sure.

I need context.

See above comment.

What do you mean 'like business?'

This is fine.


	49. Childlike Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **Minor: Dark Flier, Immortal, Boxer (Pugilist), Exploitive, Swordmaster, Angry Cinnamon Roll, Tripping, Perpetual Cheer, Chef, Blacksmith, Pegasus Knight, Teacher, Librarian, Masochist, Literal-Minded, Authoritative, Middle Age, Wyvern Rider, Phobia, Thicc, Tsundere, Damsel in Distress, Gangrel's Child, Wyvern Rider, Child, Communist, Bomber, Bear Cavalry, Flying, ADHD, Super Strength, Patriotic.**

 **Standard: Elemental, Deaf, Foreign, Future sight, Nurse/Medic, Valmese Tactician, Medusa, Amazon, Genderfluid, Gift from Validar + evil to good, Mind Control, Banshee, Mimic, Emotionless, Crippling Overspecialization (Idiot Savant), Coward, ESP, POW, PTSD, Magician, Mute, Handicapped, Secret Helper, Crazy, Morpher, Dreamwalker, Motherly, Twins, Regenerating, Animal Whisperer, Naga/Tiki Assistant, Sleepless, Deadly Touch, Mind Reader, Doppelganger, Arachne, D &D magic, Umbramancer, Horror Monster, Detective, Dominatrix, Songstress, Kinky, Matchmaker, Androphobic, Fashion Designer, Illusionist, Attraction Aura, Ring Maker, Sleeping, Therapist, Teleporting.**

 **Unlikely: Chrom's child, Minotaur, Paladin, Werewolf, Assassin, Future Soldier, Bounty Hunter, Weather control, Kleptomaniac, Druid, Steampunk, Shadow Familiar, Magic Augmentation, Lucky, Exile, Piper (Charmer), Gladiator, Witch Doctor, Centaur, Drunk, Demon, Punk, Harpy, Revenant, Luck Manipulation, Demon Summoner, Megalomaniac, Kitsune, King of Plegia, Mood Ring, Reverse Aging, Hammerspace, Prostitute, Demon Hunter, Cyborg, Maid/Servant/Butler, Deadlord, Rebellion, Einherjar, Trap, Yandere, Living Weapon, Size Shifter, Queen of Plegia, Gluttonous, Stretchy, Ninja, Alchemist, Protoss, Spirit Manipulation, Invisible, Plegian Honor Guard, Mecha, Kryptonian, Creator, Orc, Memory Stealing Respawn, Racer, Khan, Elder God, Misfortune, Vampire Hunter, Geokinetic, Imaginary Actualization, Death, Resurrection, Arachne, Force, Merchant, Background Music, Variable, Civilian, Natural Disaster, Mental Noise Projection, Hidden OP, Summoner, Cyclops, Teleporter, Cryokinetic, Genie, Judge, Intangibility, Fortune Teller, Future Vision, Serial Killer, Pervert, Stalker, Magic Fixit, Drakengard Restoration, Ying-Yang, Childhood Friend, Cyberpunk, Chrom's Mother, Obsessed, Berserker, Phase Shift, Gravity Manipulation, Hallucinating, Bladesoul, Zombie, Double Entendre, Shared Body/Two Souls, Cannibal, Singer, Violent, Insane, Waterbender, Casanova, Cupid, Undertaker, Master Thief, Guard, Faceless, Shadow, Age Control, Cradle Snatcher, Emo, Singer, Nun, Courier, Haunted Knight Armor, Egyptian, Sentient Object, Shit Lord, Court Wizard, Naga's sibling, Mad Queen, Artist, Predator, Cheshire Cat.**

 **Other: Self-insert, Second Generation replacement, Dimensional Walker, Cycle, Fates.**

 **Again combining together two ideas into one. Invisible Prince, these are two of yours: Shota and No Sense of Personal Space.**

 **Doing the No Sense of Personal Space quirk was surprisingly difficult. Shota ended up being mostly irrelevant because it's just an aesthetic change.**

* * *

Tiki wakes up to a small boy poking her cheek, and a blue-haired man trying to _stop_ said boy from poking her cheek. She watches the two through one eye slightly cracked open.

"Robin, stop." The blue-haired man hisses.

"But you said we need to talk to her." The boy pouts. His shot pink hair falls in his face as he's literally pulled away from her, and he blows it aside.

"You don't go around waking people you've never met!" The blue-haired man whispers, probably unaware that Tiki is awake.

"But we need to talk to her." The boy repeats. His one good eye, gold in color, glances up at the man as he pouts. "How are we going to do that if we don't wake her up?"

"We let Say'ri do it, because she _knows_ Tiki." The man sighs.

"Fine…" The boy grumbles. He's released from the man's grip and crosses his arms in a pout. While studying him, Tiki absently notes how the boy's eyepatch matches his other eye and his hair. The otherwise black patch has the image of a pink-petaled flower with a gold center on it.

"Unnecessary, I'm already awake." Tiki says, surprising the two of them. When she properly opens her eyes she finds that there are actually a few dozen more people in the room than she thought there were. There's an entire squad of differently dressed people, all with weapons. "I you are assassins, you are the most colorful group of assassins I've ever met."

"Nyahaha! _Eliminate_ that idea from you head! We're just here to put an _end_ to your sleep!" A white-haired mage jokes.

"Oh really? Pardon if I _butcher_ my introduction then, I'm not feeling quite awake yet." Tiki jokes back, again causing the blue-haired man to blink is surprise.

"No worries! I'm sure my puns will _blow away_ your exhaustion!"

"I feel awake already, you've certainly _dispatched_ any traces of sleep from me." Tiki says. "My pardon, I think I'm out of puns now."

"Nyahaha! You did great!" The white-haired man laughs. "You really _killed_ it!"

"Erm… if you're done my lady." Say'ri says tentatively as she glances between the Voice and Henry. "We would speak with you. We require your assistance."

"Of course." Tiki coughs. She sits up properly, straightens her hair, and places her hands in her lap. "What brings you all to the Mila Tree?"

"Making a new frien-" The boy is cut off by the blue-haired man covering his mouth with his hand.

"We are here to end a _war_." The man says firmly as he gives the boy an exasperated look. "I am Prince Chrom of Ylisse. I apologize for my tactician's touchiness Lady Tiki."

"It's quite alright." Tiki chuckles. "You say you wish to end the war? I am all ears."

###

"Whatcha doing?" Robin asks curiously as he peers over Tiki's shoulder. His head is actually resting in the crook of her neck, despite the fact that they are not particularly familiar with each other.

"I am reading." Tiki says as she glances at him. "And you?"

"Watchin' you read." He chirps. "Also, I came to ask you something."

"What is that?"

"Are you lonely?" Robin asks curiously.

"Well..." The manakete pauses in solemn though. "I suppose so, yes. Why do you ask?"

"Because Nowi sometimes talks about how lonely it to be a dragon cuz you outlive everyone, and Chrom told me you've been asleep for a _long_ time, so I thought you might be lonely because all your friends are… well… _dead_."

How very blunt of him. "I can't say you are wrong."

"Yeah, I suspected as much." Robin pulls back from where he's resting on her shoulder. "But that's why I cam to invite you to go to the bar with everyone tonight! I know you usually sleep a lot, so I thought I'd tell you way beforehand so you can sleep _before_ we go out, not during."

Tiki smiles. "What makes you assume I'll come?"

"Because food, and drinks, and conversation, and not being lonely?" Robin states as if it should be obvious.

"Alright, that _is_ a good reason." She chuckles. "I would be more than happy to join you Robin."

"Not just me, _all_ of us… though if you want to just join me, I'm happy to make it a date." The boy says while wearing a cheeky grin.

"I think you're a bit too young for that."

"I'm twenty five. I'm plenty old enough." Robin scoffs.

Tiki blinks in surprise. "You are?"

"Yeah. Why are you surprised? You're a few _thousand_ years old and you look like a hot twenty-something lady." Robin says bluntly.

"That… is a fair point." She acknowledges. "Though humans are not usually so youthful looking when they are over twenty."

"It's a condition." He shrugs, still grinning. "Sooo is it a date?"

Tiki gives him a long hard look. After a few moments, she carefully says "yes, I wouldn't mind that. It will be a new experience for me."

Robin's face lights up in delight. "Great! I'll make sure your first date is _awesome_!"

"I'll look forward to it then…"

###

"Do you drink?" Robin asks.

"I've never tried." Tiki admits. She was always considered too young in the past.

"Well trying on a first date probably isn't the best idea…" Robin murmurs. "Barkeep! What do you have that's not alcohol!?"

"Water, milk, tea." The man grunts.

"Tea please." Tiki requests politely.

"Milk!" Robin chirps.

The rest of the Shepherds are also in the room, but while they're gathered around the various large tables, Tiki and Robin are sequestered in a corner.

"It has been a while since I have come to a bar." Tiki says as she glances around the room. "Even during the past times when I was awake, I only infrequently joined the others to such places. More oft than not though, I would stay in camp with someone else who would entertain me until I fell asleep."

"That sounds nice too."

"It was, but it means that this sort of location is not familiar to me." She murmurs. "I was told such places were too _raunchy_ for me."

"Well it can get that way." Robin admits. "Especially if Vaike and Sully start one of their usual contests."

"Such as?"

"Arm wrestling, belching, drinking, posing, _normal_ wrestling…" Robin lists. "I usually win that one."

Tiki blinks in surprise. "You aren't jesting with me?"

"Nope." He chuckles. "I'm _great_ at hand to hand. It's kinda my thing."

"Here's your tea and your milk." A barmaid says as she puts down the drinks on the table. "Do you and your... _son_ want some food ma'am?" It's very clear she has _no_ idea what Robin's relationship to Tiki is. She's taking a guess.

"Me and my _companion_ will have some food, yes." Tiki says. She includes the correction in her sentence rather than confronting the barmaid on it. After all the girl didn't make too unreasonable an assumption. "Robin, what would you suggest?"

"Meat!" Robin chirps. "Most taverns have some pretty good meat. Either that, or get their specialty if they have one."

"We are quite proud of our berry pie." The barmaid offers.

"Then I shall have that." Tiki says.

"I'll get chicken!" Robin chirps.

"Right…" The barmaid has an unreadable expression and she eyes Robin for a moment before leaving.

"How rude of her…" Tiki murmurs after the girl leaves.

"Nah, that's normal." Robin shrugs. "I look like a ten year old and I'm ordering food and drinks. Of _course_ she's going to be suspicious. Nowi has to deal with the same thing."

"That sounds like a hassle if I am being honest." Tiki says.

"Oh it is, but you get used to it." Robin shrugs. "There _are_ upsides. I get called cute a lot. It does wonders for my ego."

"I'll bet." Tiki smiles.

"Also, free hugs sometimes." The tactician grins. "Turns out when people think you're a kid, they're pretty okay with hugs."

The Voice chuckles. "My, how lucky."

"I know! It's awesome."

###

"So you're just gonna sit here?" Robin asks curiously.

"I will be meditating." Tiki murmurs as she takes her seat in the center of the ring of trees. "However, the Risen will mostly detect the growth of my power, and as such I will rely on the Shepherds to protect me."

"And protect you we shall." Frederick says resoutly.

"The Shepherds won't let you down Lady Tiki." Chrom nods. "Robin, you have a plan?"

"Yep. Not a fancy one, but it should work." Robin sighs. "Basically, I need everyone who can take a few hits to act as a wall. We're making a circle around Tiki. Healers are going to sit inside that wall, and our frail members are going to act as strike forces. Either they rove around in a band, smashing apart whatever they come across, or the stay behind the wall and only make small stabs outwards when they see openings."

"This seems like a very rough plan."

"It is." Robin admits with a frown. "I don't know exactly what troops we're up against, so this is the best I can do without information."

"That's fair." Chrom grimaces. "I'll send up Sumia, Cordelia, and Cynthia to try and get a look at the Risen before they get here."

"Please do."

Chrom spins about and flags down the pegasus riders and moves off to talk to them. Frederick follows, leaving Robin and Tiki alone for a moment.

"I must begin Robin." Tiki says as she gets comfortable. "I put my life in your hands."

"Please don't phrase it like that. I don't like being reminded you might _die_." Robin grimaces.

"Well then I'll just say I trust you very much." The lady says with a small smile. "Now I must meditate."

The Voice's eyes close, and Robin swears he can feel the air _pulse_ around them, and that the grass and leaves seem to ripple in a phantom wind. Tiki lets out a deep breath and relaxes, and her head turns up to the sky.

Robin observes silently for a few moments and, when nothing else happens, turns to organize the defensive perimeter the Shepherds are setting up.

The pegasus riders return a few minutes later in a hurry. Cordelia is the first to bark out a report "Fliers of all sorts inbound! All directions but north are going to be under assault!"

"Well that's… problematic." Robin mutters. With a raised voice he shouts "Anyone with wind tomes or bows, get those out! We're facing a bunch of fliers! Everyone else, run interference!"

The first Risen rapidly show on the horizon. Wyvern lords, dark fliers, griffon riders, the whole buffet. A buffet of death. Like a buffet of poultry, but with _death_ , and they're not all birds… this is a bad analogy.

"Archers! Mages!" Chrom shouts, and raises Falchion to the sky. "Shoot!"

A few arrows and blades of wind sail through the air, and they all claim a life, but the Shepherds are not numerous and despite the speed Virion and Noire can shoot at and the potent magic of their several mages there's only so many targets they can eliminate at once and the Risen are much more numerous than them.

"Brace for impact!" Chrom barks. He raises the Fire Emblem on his arm (which is a small shield, but an indestructible one at least) as the wyvern lord silently swoops at him. The undead wyvern's maw is open in a silent roar with thick black smoke billowing billowing out of its mouth as it _glares_ at the prince.

Chrom cuts the wyvern in half effortlessly, but he's still appropriately cautioned by the intimidating sight.

Robin has a bit of an issue fighting flying enemies. Being a martial artist, he doesn't really have an easy way to strike at range. Sure, he can jump from the trees and wrestle a rider off their mount, but that's a lot of effort for just one takedown. It's _satisfying_ but not practical.

"Fuck yeah! Take 'em out Rob!" Sully laughs as the tactician smashes another dark rider's face in and runs the mount into the ground.

Okay, maybe the 'small boy killing flying undead monstrosities by _wrestling_ them' thing has value as a morale booster. Robin likes to think he's somewhat impressive, but he knows it's probably the absurdity of it people find interesting.

###

"Hmm..." Tiki hums as she awakens to see the trees around her almost totally undisturbed. " _They protected me well._ "

Her immediate area is the _only_ undisturbed area though. As soon as she peers beyond the trees, she can see evidence of a battle. There are gouges in the ground from where something flying crashed into the dirt and dug up the grass, scorch marks litter the field, and there are several arrows lying broken in the grass.

There are several Shepherds still being patched up even as she watches. Frederick seems to have taken a wound from fire, as there's a massive scorch mark on his shoulder armor which is lying discarded on the ground next to him as Lissa bandages him up.

The fact that she's not fully healing him signals that she can't do so without inducing severe mana sickness, and that only happens with particularly nasty wounds. Thankfully there don't seem to be any deaths though.

"Hey Tiki." Robin's familiar voice chirps as he skips up next to her. "How was you super zen meditation session?"

"That's not quite what what was going on, but yes." The Voice chuckles. "I have regained my former power." She pulls out a shiny stone from her pocket to show him. "I have generated a new dragonstone, and am prepared to aid you in the coming days."

"Sweet!" Robin laughs. "We can always use more manaketes! Nowi and Nah are already some of our strongest fighters, and now we got _another_ one of them!"

"You speak of me as if I am a collectable game piece."

"I mean, I _do_ have figurines representing everyone so I can run scenarios, so in a way you _are_ a game piece…"

"I hope I will not be _treated_ as such."

"Nah. People are people. They can't be sacrificed or put into too risky of a situation for tactical gain." Robin shrugs. "I'm no sociopath, and thankfully our squad is small enough that I can realistically expect us to go through fights with no fatalities."

"That's a very pragmatic way of looking at the situation."

"Yeah, well, when you're a tactician you have to deal with hard facts and numbers to an extent. If I was responsible for, like, a hundred people and we were fighting an equal number of troops, I don't think all the micromanaging in the world could prevent a fatality here or there." Robin says somewhat somberly. "And it's ironic, because large scale operations is where a good tactician is _most_ useful because they win you the _war_ and not just individual battles."

"The burden of being a good tactician is that you are best suited for situations where you _cannot_ achieve a desirable victory." Tiki surmises. "You are more useful in situations where there will _always_ be loses."

"Yeah, pretty much." Robin grimaces. He doesn't stay depressed for long though. "But! Let's not think of depressing stuff like that! You're awake! No one _died_! And we can really start ending the war now!"

"Of course. I shall aid you however I can." Tiki says with a smile. "I am yours to command, Robin."

###

"Robin…"

"Yeah?"

"What are you doing?"

"Saying hi!"

"Is this _usually_ how you say hi?"

"Yep!" Robin hums as he clings to her tightly for a few seconds. "Just ask Chrom, I do this _all_ the time!" He releases her a moment later, and grins confidently. "Because _everyone_ loves hugs from a cute little boy, right?"

"Except you're not a boy. You're a man."

"Well I _look_ like one, and that's good enough for most people." Robin chuckles. He puts a 'cute' look on his face; gazing up at her with wide eyes, a slight head tilt downwards while looking up to appear vulnerable, and generally making himself looking smaller and in need of protection "See? Even if you know I'm an adult, I can still trigger certain reactions just because of the way I look."

"I see." Tiki can't deny that the look is _very_ effective. "I have a question."

"Yes?"

"Do you _wish_ to appear to others as a child?"

"Nah. What I'm aiming for is being seen as _cute_. Being seen as a kid is a hassle." He huffs.

"I would assume so…" Tiki murmurs. "Pardon my curiosity, but… what is the _biggest_ problem of being seen as a child."

"Curiosity is fiiiine." Robin laughs. "The biggest problem is… hmm… romance."

"Romance?"

"Yeah. Turns out, when you look super young, people tend to be super judgey about what you do even when you've told them you're an adult." He pouts.

"They still think it strange or immoral?"

"Yeah. They think in black and white. It's like they forget _nuance_ is a thing." Robin sighs. "I've had people tell me I shouldn't be on the front lines because of how I look, or that I shouldn't be flirting with people because it 'sends a bad message to children' who see me. I mean, _seriously_ people, can I not do normal things because I _look_ different then I should for my age?"

"I think I understand." Tiki murmurs. "It is the same as saying that because someone has a different skin color they cannot do something, or that because I am a dragon I should not fight humans because it sets a bad precedent. Perhaps there is some minor founding in the idea, but under serious scrutiny the argument falls apart."

"Exactly!" Robin beams. He's clearly happy that _someone_ understands, and Tiki wonders if none of the other Shepherds have shown as much comprehension as herself. "It's annoying to have someone go 'hey, you _look different_ , so you can't _ever_ have romance in your life!' I mean… that's _stupid_ , but people insist it's a valid reason for stopping me from doing things! Nowi gets the same thing sometimes when she's seen with Gregor. They accuse him of pedophilia or something, ignoring the fact that they're both adults of sane mind because people _don't fucking understand nuance!_ "

That last part Robin spits out with a sudden venom. Tiki suspects Robin has been stewing on this for a _long_ time. "I see."

"Sorry." Robin says while taking a deep breath. "Got worked up."

"That is perfectly alright." Tiki smiles. "I am more than happy to allow you to vent with me. I know you are not a spiteful person Robin."

"Thanks…" The boy sighs and his body sags. "Wow, I never figured saying hello would tire me out so much."

"I think our conversation went well beyond saying hello." The Voice chuckles.

"Am I still cute like this?" He asks in a half-joking tone, clearly trying to bring back the jovial tone to their talk.

"Perhaps not at this very moment." Tiki laughs. "You look very frazzled and disheveled."

"Yeah, I suppose I do." Robin sighs. He straightens his back, and dusts off his clock. "I will return then when I am _less_ frazzled."

"For what reason?" Tiki raises an eyebrow as the tactician leaves.

"I wanted to ask you to dinner again, but I'm gonna do it when I can ask more cutely." Robin says with a tired smile. "So… see you in a few hours."

"Of course." Tiki says with poorly-concealed amusement. "Then I shall accept in a few hours."

"Okay, see you then." Robin says, and leaves her tent.

Tiki shakes her head in slight bafflement and goes back to… what _was_ she doing before Robin came in?

It can't be too important. Besides, she's much too excited now to focus on something minor like reading.

###

"I see…" Tiki smirks. "You truly think such a thing could work?"

"Maybe? I just wanna ride a dragon again." Robin admits with a sheepish grin. "I could ask Nowi, but she's too wild, I always feel like I'm going to vomit after riding her, and Nah doesn't like giving rides unless she has to."

Tiki can't help but laugh. "All that talk about tactics, and you want the equivalent of a piggy back ride?"

"No!" Robin pouts. But a moment later he amends "Well… okay, yes."

"You only had to ask." Tiki says to Robin's _immense_ delight. He didn't expect someone so regal to be willing to do something like this. She immediately pulls out her dragonstone, and transforms in a flash of light. Robin eagerly hops up on her scaly back, and grabs hold of her neck. He as an excited shine in his one good eye that Tiki can clearly see when she cranes her neck around to look at him. "Ready?"

"Hell yeah!" The tactician shouts.

"Alright then…" Tiki flaps her wings and takes to the air. She starts off her flight slowly. She's not used to having a passenger, and she has no desire to accidentally drop Robin from fifty feet in the air. "Tell me if I am ever going too fast or you need a moment to collect yourself."

"This is awesome~!" Robin sings. He's already engrossed in being so high up. "I'm on a _dragon_!"

"Not just any dragon." Tiki chuckles. "How many people do you think get a ride from the Voice herself?"

"Anyone who asks?"

"And how many people do you think have asked?"

"...no one?"

"Exactly. You are the first."

"Cool…" Robin murmurs. A familiar girn crosses his face. "It's because I'm cute, isn't it? You couldn't say no to this face."

Tiki lets out a soft laugh, which is much louder than usual thanks to her dragon form. "I hardly think you need your ego stroked any more than than it already is Robin."

"Pff… everyone needs their ego stroked." Robin scoffs. "Like you! How long has it been since you had your ego stroked?"

"Every single time I wake up, because people treat me with absurd reverence." Tiki says bluntly. She takes a gentle turn, being sure not to twist her body too much, and starts to circle the camp. "I hardly need more fuel for my ego."

"Pff… sure you do." Robin scoffs. "Grovelling and compliments based on your _rank_ are boring. What I'm talking about is _important_ compliments, like… has anyone ever told you that you're _really_ tolerant?"

"Well… no."

"You are! You put up with _my_ weirdness after all." Robin says earnestly. He's not even really paying attention to the surroundings anymore. "And you even humor my requests! You're tolerant, and kind, and pretty-"

"I get the idea." Tiki huffs. If her dragon form could blush, it would.

"Do you _reaaaaally_?" Robin says in a teasing voice. "Sounds like someone's self-conscious and needs more compliments!"

Tiki realizes much too late she's just made the situation worse… or better depending on how one wants to see it.

"I like your hair, and you have a nice dress, and your voice is nice and clear and melodious, and-"

Tiki resists the urge to whine in an incredibly undignified manner as Robin continues to compliment her. It's been a long time since she's had such unconditional _genuine_ praise heaped on her, not just idle flattery, and she frankly doesn't know how to handle it.

Tiki finishes the flight very quickly in a bid to escape Robin. Not because she dislikes what he's doing, but because he's making her too flustered to think function.

###

"C'mon!" Robin grunts as he hauls the manakete out of her bed. "Geddup!"

"I'm tired…" Tiki mumbles. She's internally surprised that Robin can so easily drag her around. He's deceptively strong.

"You're _always_ tired." He huffs. "Wake _up_! It's time for dinner!"

"Noo…" Tiki says petulantly. There aren't many people she can be petty around, but Robin is one of them. "I'll just have breakfast tomorrow…"

"Not happening! You're coming with me!" Robin says. He slips his arms around her waist, and forcefully hauls her to her feet. Tiki flails her arms ungracefully as she tries to gain her balance. "You can't skip meals! It's not healthy!"

"I have done so for hundreds of-"

"Excuses!" Robin cuts her off as he grabs her hand. The small man pulls her out of her tent, totally ignoring her protests.

Tiki sighs at this whole situation, but also can't help but smile. It's been a long time since she's been part of a group like this, and all but _required_ to attend meals. Not since she was part of Marth's army did she have any real responsibility… it's nice in a way. It's familiar.

"If you keep trying to skip meals, I'm going to tell Frederick." Robin scolds. "It won't be my cute face waking you up, it'll be his cold, unfeeling, _cruel_ visage!"

"Of course. My apologies Robin." Tiki chuckles.

"Don't apologize to me, just get up in time! You don't want to deal with Frederick. He's scary…"

###

"Robin…" Chrom sighs.

"Yeah?"

"Are you bothering Lady Tiki?"

"No."

"It looks like you are."

"I'm just resting Chrom."

"Lady Tiki is not a pillow Robin."

"Sure she is! Right Tiki?"

"Mph…" The manakete mutters. She flicks a hand in Chrom's direction in a distinct 'shoo' motion. "Yes, sure, now let me sleep…"

Robin sticks out his tongue at Chrom and grins smugly. The Prince shakes his head. How in Naga's name Robin managed to befriend the Voice to such a level that he can casually snuggle up to her is beyond him.

Maybe it's because he looks like a kid. People are pretty tolerant of him because of that. Or maybe it's because he's totally irreverent of Tiki's authority and position.

Whatever, it's not Chrom's responsibility to worry about this, and it frankly doesn't seem to be a problem in the first place. He was only checking in on the two because he was worried Robin was being a nuisance. If that's not so, he'll leave the man be as long as he does his job.

" _Maybe though_." The prince thinks as he glances back at the tent. " _Lissa was more right than I thought. If he's not bothering her, maybe there_ _is_ _a relationship happening there…_ "

Only time will tell though, and he has work to deal with. Chrom makes his way back to his tent to sort through the numerous papers he know awaits him.

* * *

 **We'll end here. I have** _ **no**_ **idea what to think of this chapter. Is it good? Is it awful? I honestly can't tell. You tell me.**

* * *

 **Gfish59** **:** Werewolf would be a strange one because… well it's basically Taguel but with an uncontrollable trigger. I'm trying to think of something interesting to do with it, but nothing has come to mind yet.

 **LoveGlutton** **:** :P

 **Darkness is complete** **:** I think that's been suggested before… but I don't see it anywhere. So yes, definitely. I've actually been mulling that over quite a bit recently trying to piece together a way for that to work.

 **Invisible Prince** **:** I remembered that, but Male Robin never really seemed to fit when I did early drafts of that chapter to potentially use next update. I could only make it work with Female Robin.

 **G** **:** Alright. Got it.

 **Lobotimite** **:** Never actually watched that movie, but I found a picture at least. Giant elemental… sure. I'm not sure I can make Robin _a living hand_ , so… uh… gonna say no to that. Alien v.s. Predator I've also never watched, but I'm sure there's a wiki somewhere…

 **Guest** **:** Never played that game, never watched that series of videos, so your references are beyond me. I'll keep the idea, but I'll twist it however I see fit. I usually don't do _specific_ requests anyways, I just take ideas.

 **Lazuras** **:** Don't worry. I'll do research before using ADHD anyways.

 **Cyberchao X** **:** Really? Huh, cool.

 **AuraPhoenix1500** **:** I considered doing angry fairy, but decided it was sorta _boring_. Like sure, she's angry and small, isn't that funny…? Nah, not really. It's overdone, and not in the 'done a lot because it's good' sorta way. Also, I was gonna use Chrom at first but Frederick actually slotted in a lot _better_ than Chrom (which is unusual because I usually find using another man just results in a "this is okay but Chrom would have been better" situation)

It wasn't Say'ri that I dislike. It's Severa, Tharja, and F!Morgan, and that's only in the game (because as the writer, I can tweak those characters to make them tolerable to me). Thank you for the suggestion though, Therapist Robin is a good idea!

Have a good day! Nice to hear from you!

 **She Who is Woe** **:** It was weird to make Robin the bad guy. That actually breaks the rule I usually use for writing these chapters (Robin has to be on Ylisse's side) but it was a really fun chapter to do. Also got to use Henry, which is always a treat.

I never liked how most media just make a certain race or species unconditionally evil, so I actively try to subvert that every once in a while.

 **Lobotimite (again)** **:** Sometimes when I write my other main story, Five Stars, the autocorrect turns Robyn into Robin because I use both spellings so much.

 **bauers374** **:** No promises.

Very true.

 **Guest** **:** Sure.

 **Wrathie Winsre** **:** I was sitting down to write the review responses and thinking "yeah, I can probably get this done in half an hour at most" and then your review came through and I realized I'd have to put this off for the next day. It still made for a nice birthday present though, I love hearing from you!

I considered elaborating on the sex part, but I decided it was better left unsaid.

That is how I see it going down. Robin would be friendly, Frederick would enjoy her company but not be forwards, and eventually Robin would have to be the one to propose because Frederick never considered it because he's too duty-focused.

I'm not sure Frederick is _thick_. He's not quite as socially inept as Chrom. He just cares a _lot_ about duty and doesn't know how to relax… though there was that support with Lissa where she mentioned she was _so_ obvious with her crush and he never noticed, so maybe you do have more of a point that I'm assuming…

No, Tiny Morgan is not retcon. He exists, and is just as adorable as you think he is.

I didn't take Frederick to be one to give up on his duty just because he got married. Deems against his nature.

I mean, it's not unreasonable to assume Chrom is being dense at any given time. That is his default state after all!

Teleporting Robin? Hmm… I can work with that…

You're very much correct. I intended Robin to be a _bit_ more relevant, but the chapter naturally lend itself to being Lucina-focused and I just rolled with it rather than try and change it.

I suppose that could be argued, but at the same time Robin is the avatar so he sorta holds the same weight as Chrom.

I also dislike character death to be honest, and I've never been a fan of horror for various reasons.

I mean… I _treat_ the world as if it's more open and understanding, but that's usually because I'm dealing with _Emmeryn_ who is super understanding and _Chrom_ who can be stubborn. I actually assume most of the council and dukes for Ylisse are actually sorta douchey (and tied up in bloodline politics and arranged marriages) and it's just the current royal family that ignore it.

You assume baby Alraunes are going to randomly strike out at everything around them? Hmm… I actually have so many questions about Alraune growth now that I hadn't considered before. How do they learn to speak if they eat most people they come across? How do they get so intelligent. Hmm…

That's a fair point. She wouldn't be able to change classes if she was really that bad.

Very true. Feral and dumb are two different things. I don't think it would take long for Robin to get bored of Vaike. I know _I_ got bored of him real quick.

#Fakenews

That's another good point. I need to make a chapter where Robin and Grima have totally different skills… that would be cool.

I think you've hit the nail on the head. Tsundere has always rubbed me the wrong way. Just personal preference.

That would be a grim story. Don't worry, it's really not my style anyways.

It _does_ create bonds, yes. I won't deny that. And what are we saying is the norm exactly? The proposal happening by accident, or the partner proposing?

I'm no ace in battlefield tactics myself I'll admit. I just have faith that most battle tactics are tried and tested.

Yeah, probably a good call to drop this. You broadened my thinking though, so thanks for that.

Miriel is stock, but thankfully she gets a decent amount of love in fanfictions (can't say the same about Sully…), and Ricken is sorta cute. At first he rubbed me the wrong way, he seemed like a bratty tagalong kid, but his supports really warmed me up to him.

Well said, I agree.

That's fair. Popularity and being a good ruler are not intrinsically related. Correlation, not causation.

Trauma Chrom? Is this the "everyone is dead but him and Robin" version?

Everyone assumes, and no one does. That's actually a really good idea. You don't see that a lot in fiction, there's usually always some deep reason for something happening or not happening, but just "people forgot/assumed someone else would" is a totally valid reason.

I can see it now. Frederick giving a lecture to someone on what colors of blanket best flatter Chrom's complexion, and how to cook a very specific breakfast that he likes, and when Chrom needs to get up in the morning, and generally trying to turn Chrom's wife into his second babysitter.

Alright. Just making sure. It wouldn't be the first time I've offended someone by accident, so I've learned to always give a disclaimer.

Nice to hear from you as always!


	50. Robin, the Chained Lady

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **Minor: Dark Flier, Immortal, Boxer (Pugilist), Exploitive, Swordmaster, Angry Cinnamon Roll, Tripping, Perpetual Cheer, Chef, Blacksmith, Pegasus Knight, Teacher, Librarian, Masochist, Literal-Minded, Authoritative, Middle Age, Wyvern Rider, Phobia, Thicc, Tsundere, Damsel in Distress, Gangrel's Child, Wyvern Rider, Child, Communist, Bomber, Bear Cavalry, Flying, ADHD, Super Strength, Patriotic, Martial Artist, Scottish, Sassy, One Liner.**

 **Standard: Elemental, Deaf, Foreign, Future sight, Nurse/Medic, Valmese Tactician, Medusa, Amazon, Genderfluid, Gift from Validar + evil to good, Mind Control, Banshee, Mimic, Emotionless, Crippling Overspecialization (Idiot Savant), Coward, ESP, POW, PTSD, Magician, Mute, Handicapped, Secret Helper, Crazy, Morpher, Dreamwalker, Motherly, Twins, Regenerating, Animal Whisperer, Naga/Tiki Assistant, Sleepless, Deadly Touch, Mind Reader, Doppelganger, Arachne, D &D magic, Umbramancer, Horror Monster, Detective, Dominatrix, Songstress, Kinky, Matchmaker, Androphobic, Fashion Designer, Illusionist, Attraction Aura, Ring Maker, Therapist, Teleporting, Crippled.**

 **Unlikely: Chrom's child, Minotaur, Paladin, Werewolf, Assassin, Future Soldier, Bounty Hunter, Weather control, Kleptomaniac, Druid, Steampunk, Shadow Familiar, Magic Augmentation, Lucky, Exile, Piper (Charmer), Gladiator, Witch Doctor, Centaur, Drunk, Demon, Punk, Harpy, Revenant, Luck Manipulation, Demon Summoner, Megalomaniac, Kitsune, King of Plegia, Mood Ring, Reverse Aging, Hammerspace, Prostitute, Demon Hunter, Cyborg, Maid/Servant/Butler, Deadlord, Rebellion, Einherjar, Trap, Yandere, Living Weapon, Size Shifter, Queen of Plegia, Gluttonous, Stretchy, Ninja, Alchemist, Protoss, Spirit Manipulation, Invisible, Plegian Honor Guard, Mecha, Kryptonian, Creator, Orc, Memory Stealing Respawn, Racer, Khan, Misfortune, Vampire Hunter, Geokinetic, Imaginary Actualization, Death, Resurrection, Arachne, Force, Merchant, Background Music, Variable, Civilian, Natural Disaster, Mental Noise Projection, Hidden OP, Summoner, Cyclops, Teleporter, Cryokinetic, Genie, Judge, Intangibility, Fortune Teller, Future Vision, Serial Killer, Pervert, Stalker, Magic Fixit, Drakengard Restoration, Ying-Yang, Childhood Friend, Cyberpunk, Chrom's Mother, Obsessed, Berserker, Phase Shift, Gravity Manipulation, Hallucinating, Bladesoul, Zombie, Double Entendre, Shared Body/Two Souls, Cannibal, Singer, Violent, Insane, Waterbender, Casanova, Cupid, Undertaker, Master Thief, Guard, Faceless, Shadow, Age Control, Cradle Snatcher, Emo, Singer, Nun, Courier, Haunted Knight Armor, Egyptian, Sentient Object, Shit Lord, Court Wizard, Naga's sibling, Mad Queen, Artist, Predator, Cheshire Cat, Radio Host, Chimera, Windego, Witch, Symbiote.**

 **Other: Self-insert, Second Generation replacement, Dimensional Walker, Cycle, Fates.**

 **Sleeping, suggested by Darkness is Complete/The Restless Drifter. Telepath, suggested by Invisible Prince. Elder God, suggested by Vanderspiegel.** **Lastly, an addition of my own: Conpeskinesis (Chain kinesis). There's probably someone else's idea tied into here that I missed in my notes.**

 **Robin doesn't appear** _ **directly**_ **for the majority of the chapter, but she's important to the plot. Also, I'm not using the Cthulhu elder gods. I'm just using the term 'elder god' to refer to an old generation of forgotten gods. I know I've already done Goddess Robin, but this feels different enough to be worth it's own chapter.**

 **Also, maybe I'll have to do just the Sleeping Robin quirk as it's own thing at some point (in Varied Awakenings of course).**

 **This is a doozy of a chapter. As fitting for the fiftieth chapter. It's at** _ **least**_ **thrice the length of the (former) longest chapter.**

* * *

The village looks old and abandoned, but brigands assail it all the same. The sky is purple and cloudy, the ground dead and grey.

Chrom grabs Falchion from its scabbard and pulls it free. He charges to the village, and lunges at the first bandit the crosses his path. His blade goes right through the man's chest, and he tears it out with a grim sense of satisfaction… but the man doesn't drop. The bandit's head twists unnaturally on his shoulder, turning 180 degrees to face Chrom and audibly snapping the neck. The bandit's face is covered with a grey mask that makes him look very inhuman, and as Chrom watches his eyes go from a dull brown to a glowing red. Smoke billows from the man's mouth and his skin drains in color: going from tan to a faded purple.

The bandit now moves with an unnatural, almost puppet-like gait. It moves stiffly and suddenly, as if being jerked around by strings, and raises its axe high in the air to strike at him.

Chrom dodges a few swings from the monstrosity in front of him. He own blade flashes quickly in response, slashing across the chest and torso in a desperate attempt to kill this thing. The monster seems unaffected by the attacks, and is steadily pressuring Chrom into a fighting retreat.

Then something happens. A cold sensation shoots through his veins, and Chrom feels like he's lost control of his limbs, like he too is being puppeted: his sword comes up beside his head, and his arms swing in a short but vicious quarter-circle which whips Falchion around at great speed. The blade slashes right through the monster's neck, not the torso, and with the head severed the monster dissolves into dust leaving only rags and its axe behind.

The feeling of being controlled disappears, and Chrom can move on his own again. He glances down at the rags on impulse, and notices something in the rags. A single chain link lies there, perfectly clean despite the dirty clothes, and it seems to call to him.

Despite his anxiety, Chrom leans down and picks up the link. Clearly this is important.

Just as his fingers close around the link, Chrom hears the chirp of a bird from behind him. He turns around just in time to see an axe being swung at his head, and his vision goes black.

Chrom awakens in his bed. The dream he just experienced plays through his mind: a cloudy sky, dead ground, an abandoned village, masked monsters, a chain link, a bird cry. He reaches up and wipes the sweat off his forehead, but pauses at a cold sensation when he does so.

He brings down his hand, and the hair on the back of his neck stands on end at what he sees. Held in his hand is a single, perfectly clean, chain link.

###

Brownleaf has the unfortunate distinction of being close to the coastline, but with no coastal city to protect it. This makes it easy prey for pirate to raid it, and since Gangrel's ascent to the throne those raids have become much more frequent. The thick forest surrounding the village makes it particularly difficult to spot incoming attackers, and provided little strategic advantage to the villagers for defense.

The Shepherds arrive just in time to meet another one of these raids. Swords, axes, and lances flash in the sunlight as a massive brawl breaks out in the village center. Viron barks orders while picking off foes with his bow, and Sully and Stahl deliver a devastating charge to the pirate's ranks which sends them scattering.

Chrom finds himself chasing a pirate between two buildings where there is a cart blocking off the path. The pirate swears as he turns around, realizing he has no option but to fight.

The prince thrusts Falchion forwards, nicking the man on the ribs, and brings up the blade to block a swipe of the man's axe. This pattern repeats several times with Chrom getting small hits and blocking the retaliation.

Eventually Chrom lands the strike he needs. His sword slashes into the man's gut, and the follow-up thrust goes right through his heart. The prince watches in grim satisfaction as the brigand falls to the floor.

Chrom notices something interesting on the pirate's person. A small locket has fallen out of the man's pocket. It seems clean, unlike the rest of him. It was probably stolen from one of the townsfolk. Chrom leans down to grab the locket…

...and hears the chirp of a bird.

Immediately Chrom spins around, leading the movement with his sword in a hasty block. That move saves his life, as the axe swung at his head instead meets Falchion and is knocked off course.

This fight is a lot more frantic than the last. Chrom swings his sword wildly, slightly panicked by his near-death experience, but his training quickly kicks in and he stops being so reckless. He takes a small hop backwards, giving himself space for just a moment, and then lunges forwards with his arm outstretched. Falchion pierces right through the man's collarbone, stabbing the spine, and the pirate crumples to the ground with a pained gasp.

The prince takes a few deep breaths, trying to calm his panic. He backs up slowly until his foot nudges the body behind him, and he keeps his eyes on the entrance to this alleyway as he leans down and grabs the locket.

The significance of this event hasn't gone over his head. That dream, at least in some small way, came true. The cry of a bird alerted him to danger, something that would have otherwise killed him.

Chrom takes a quick glance up to the rooftops next to him, and spies a robin perched on the blacksmith's chimney. Unlike most birds which twitch and move constantly, this robin is completely still and seems to be staring at him. The prince and the bird lock eyes for a few seconds until Chrom has to look back at the alley entrance to ensure he's not in danger, but when he looks back the bird has taken flight. The prince watches it fly all the way over to a hill where there sits a lone weeping willow overlooking the town graveyard.

"Milord!" Frederick barks as he barrels into the alleyway. "Are you alright?"

"Frederick? Ah, yes, I'm fine." Chrom coughs. "I had a close call is all."

"My apologies Milord, I left you for too long." The knight grimaces.

"No, it's my fault. I was reckless to chase him by my lonesome." The prince admits. "Now let's return to the battle. We have more pirates to kill."

###

The battle ends in a total victory for the Shepherds. They suffer no significant wounds. All injuries are flesh deep at worst. The Shepherds then spend the rest of the day helping the villagers rebuild.

Chrom spends the first thirty minutes of this time trying to find the owner of the pendant he found. That person ends up being a travelling merchant who was passing through, and was unfortunate enough to still be around when the pirates came through. She's an Anna.

"Thanks handsome." The merchant lady smiles when he hands her the pendant. "This thing is gonna sell for a pretty penny. Would have been a shame to lose it."

"Right." Chrom says, feeling a bit annoyed that he almost got killed for something that's basically irrelevant.

"Oh, but I'm being ungrateful." Anna says to him. She digs around in her large backpack for a moment. "I can't give away anything expensive as a gift, that's bad for business, but I can totally offer you a trinket or something useful."

As the merchant rummages around, Chrom gets a glance into the bag. It's just minor knick-knacks like simple wood carvings, a pack of sewing needles, a holy symbol of naga, a toy bird that looks suspiciously like…

"What's that?" Chrom interrupts, pointing to the bird.

"Hm? Oh, this is just a toy robin." Anna says, and pulls out the wood toy. It's well-crafted and well-painted, and fits in the palm of her hand. There are a few oddities though: the bird's eyes have had the paint rubbed off them making it look glassy-eyed, and there are small grooves carved into the bird's neck. "It belonged to this old Plegian seer who passed away, and her family sold it. Apparently the woman rubbed off the eyes and carved the neck after getting a vision from a god."

"Grima? Naga?"

"Nope. According to her son, the seer called this entity both 'the Chained Lady' and 'the Sleeping Lady'." Anna shrugs. "Since you seem interested in this thing how about you take it? It'll be my thanks."

"Sure." Chrom says, and accepts the toy robin. "Thank you."

###

"The Chained Lady?" The old librarian hums, and squints through her glasses. She shakes her head and rises from her chair, and beckons the prince to follow. "The first time you come to the library in years, and it's to ask about an old god? What is Plegia up to now...?"

It's a rhetorical question, and Chrom is thankful he doesn't actually have to answer. He doesn't know what he'd say if he was to admit that his interest isn't for military matters around fighting some Plegian plan, but to explain the strange coincidences he's been experiencing lately.

Well 'lately' is probably an understatement. Chrom has gotten prophetic dreams for _years_ , but it's only in the last few weeks that one of those dreams has had any real-world relevance.

But an old god? Chrom has never heard of such a thing. As far as he knew, the only other gods beyond Grima and Naga were Mila and Duma, and those two are long dead. The only other possibilities Chrom can think of are those in legends of ancient heroes: deities like Yune and Set who have most likely long since faded from existence, or don't exist anywhere close to the continent of Archanea.

"Here we are…" The old lady grunts as she picks out a large tome from the top of a shelf. They're in the myths and legends section of the library, and many of the books here look dusty and unused. Not many scholars bother themselves with such things, and Chrom suspects the people who _do_ take interest in these sorts of stories usually prefer more fanciful stories of monsters or adventure related to the more famous legends, not obscure tales of a deity no one has heard of in a very long time. "This book is all we have on the subject. Your father wasn't fond of 'heretical' material in the library. This book was all on the old gods I could hide away in time, but it's also the most essential."

Chrom takes the massive tome from the lady, and grunts at the incredible weight. The book is easily as thick as a pillow, and flipping to the last numbered page yields the number 3758. The pages are not small either, and the words are just barely large enough to read.

"Is that all Milord?"

"Yes, thank you Teresa." Chrom nods. "Actually… would you mind telling the servants to bring my lunch here when the time comes? I'm going to be here a while."

"Of course Milord. Don't spill anything on the tome." Teresa warns. "We don't have a second copy."

Chrom nods absently, already not listening. He flips to the first page, makes himself comfortable, and starts reading.

###

In short: the tome had a lot to say, but not too much about the Chained Lady. She has no dedicated myths and instead appears occasionally in the myths of other deities. Chrom has managed to make a small list of notes about her though.

This took a _month_ by the way. He didn't read all 3758 pages in one day. It's a miracle he managed to get through the tome with all his other responsibilities getting in the way. Lissa, Frederick, and Emmeryn are obviously concerned about his inordinate and unexplained interest in this old tome, but this is something Chrom felt he _had_ to do. He has to know the meaning behind these dreams, and why some ancient deity would have interest in him.

So, the Chained Lady (which is her primary title) is a relatively minor old god. She is goddess of imprisonment, chains, puppets, sleep, dreams, and visions. Her main symbols are a single large chain link bound in many smaller chains, and a glassy-eyed bird (usually a robin) with a chain around its neck.

Beyond that brief explanation of her domains there is shockingly little to be found about the Chained Lady. The only other thing Chrom could find mentioned is a few random notes about her appearance like the fact that she has silver hair, or that she's permanently sleeping (hence her alternative title as the Sleeping Lady), and also that she communicates through telepathy and dream messages.

Oh, and she supposedly spies on people through birds which she controls by putting chains around their necks. Hence her second symbol, and hence the toy bird having groves gouged into the neck in absence of a chain to put there.

So Chrom is basically a few small chains away from having _two_ holy symbols of the Chained Lady. All he'd need to do is loop a small chain around the bird's neck, and tie a small chain around the large chain link he got from that dream.

The question is: does he _want_ symbols of the Chained Lady? He has no idea if the Chained Lady is friendly or if she secretly wants to take over the world or something, and he heavily suspects that prophetic dream he got was leading him up to this moment, that the Chained Lady gave him that dream knowing it would lead him to find the pendant, give it to Anna, hear her story, and obtain the toy robin.

What does the Chained Lady want? Why him? Why now?

"There's no way I'm going to find out… unless I can get more dreams." Chrom realizes with a grimace. He glances at the toy bird sitting on his desk, and the pristine chain link next to it. "I guess I'm repairing symbols of a forgotten god."

###

A bird flies through the air. It's red stomach stands out starkly against the purple sky and dying grey ground. The grass is faded and brown, the trees rot where they stand, and as the bird passes a pond it can be seen that the water is polluted with a purple color, and dead fish lie on the surface. Not even insects are spared death: the flies that came to feast on the bodies also lie in the water, killed by the same toxin that killed the fish.

Chrom watches this from a ruined village. The houses are destroyed, with the beams starting to rot and stone starting to crumble. Some houses are smashed apart, missing windows or walls, and others just look like they collapsed. The bird soars overhead, heading to a tree located on a hill just a short ways away. It lands on the weeping willow, and Chrom notes the _dozens_ of similar shapes resting on the tree. He also notes the graveyard nearby which looks disturbed due to having tombstone knocked over and graves dug up.

" _Wait, a village near a forest, with a weeping willow and graveyard on a hill?_ " Chrom thinks. His mind is sluggish, like he's drugged. He forces himself to move, his body feels similarly unresponsive, but he manages to find that alleyway where he was nearly killed and to his surprise he sees the same cart blocking the path and some rags lying on the floor where the two pirates were killed. " _This is Brownleaf…_ "

Chrom turns around and sluggishly marches his out of the town and up the hill towards the weeping willow. All the birds perched on the tree are eerily silent and completely still unlike normal birds. As he gets closer, the prince notes that the willow isn't quite what he thought it was. What are usually long branches and leaves drooping down to the grass have been replaced with long dangling chains.

A moan cuts through the air, and there's the sound of shuffling feet. A purple-skinned monster lurches into view. It's covered with dirt as it just recently pulled itself out of a grave. Chrom tries to pull Falchion from its sheath, but the blade is heavy and tumbles from his numb fingers.

"Prince…" A voice says, whispering on the wind. The prince is paralyzed in the spot, staring at the monster as it lurches towards him. "Danger…"

The prince falls backwards. Suddenly his limbs are working again, his mind is sharp once more. He grabs Falchion from the ground, scrambles to his feet, and lunges at the monster. Remembering what happened in the last dream he aims for the throat and slices through the monster's unprotected neck. Smoke billows from the wound, and in moments the monster has dissolved.

"What are these?" Chrom pants. He turns to look up at the tree, and tenses when he notices _all_ the birds in the branches staring down at him with glassy eyes. Each and every one has a chain binding it's throat. The wind suddenly picks up, ruffling feathers and causing the larger chains adorning the tree to clatter quietly.

"The future…" The wind whispers.

"No." Chrom grimaces. "It can't be. _This_ is the future?"

"No…" The birds in the tree take to the air. They spiral up into the air, drawing Chrom's gaze to the sky. When he looks back down, everything has changed. Where there was once a tree there is now only a stump. The forest is long gone, replaced with burning cracks in the ground spitting lava. An _army_ of monsters lumber across the space that used to be occupied by the village. One of them notices Chrom, lets out a spine-chilling moan, and starts lurching up the hill at him. The entire army follows, nearly a thousand monsters coming towards him.

Chrom turns around, trying to flee. His heart stops when he sees that all around him, for miles and miles, all he can see is fire and monsters. Monsters, who _all_ have their burning red eyes turned to him.

" _This_ is the future." The voice is clearer now, speaking loud in his ear. The wind picks up to a howl, but it can't drown out the moans of thousands of monsters all encroaching on his position. A sea of red eyes march towards the blue-haired man.

"How… how can I stop it?!" Chrom shouts against the wind. "This can't be my world! This can't be the only path!"

The monsters break into a run and barrel up the hill.

"Learn… listen… dream…"

The first monster comes into range, and Chrom cuts it down with Falchion. The world devolves into a mess of monsters, smoke, and violence as Chrom frantically tries to stay alive.

" _Fight_ …" A large shape looms overhead. A dragon easily bigger than the entire Ylissian royal palace floats silently in the air. It has grey scales, six feathered wings, and two massive horns protruding from a head that's easily the size of the throne room.

It's Grima, the Fell Dragon.

Something hits Chrom in the shin, and he falls to the ground. The monsters swarm all over him, and just like the last dream his vision fades to black as he's torn apart.

###

"Bro, are you sure you're alright?" Lissa asks when he joins his siblings for breakfast. "You look super pale…"

"I'm fine." He coughs. "Just didn't sleep well."

"A bad dream perhaps? Or did you stay up all night reading another tome?" Emmeryn asks in concern.

"A dream." Chrom admits. "It was discomforting."

"Discomforting, big word." Lissa says through a mouthful of food. "That's how you know he's trying to hide something."

The prince rolls his eyes. "I am _not_."

"Totally are."

"What was it about?" Emmeryn asks.

"I saw Grima." Chrom admits. "And monsters. There was a voice warning me about the future."

"Grima?" Lissa asks with a raised eyebrow. "You dream told you _Grima_ was coming back?"

"Yes." Now that he says it out loud, it sounds absurd. "It's just a dream though."

"Does this have something to do with your studies?" Emmeryn asks softly. "Why you were so engrossed in the tome about the old gods?"

" _That's_ what that tome was?!" Lissa shouts. She glares at her brother. "You told me it was about religion!"

"It is… just not one that exists anymore." Chrom coughs. "Also, Emm, yes. I've had visions of late, and a few clues led me to that book. It could easily be coincidence though."

"I see." Emmeryn's face is unreadable. "Just be careful Chrom. Old powers are not _dead_ powers. Make sure you know what you're doing."

"I know Emm." Chrom grimaces. "I know."

###

Chrom doesn't know what he's doing. This could go horribly wrong… or it could do nothing.

He got a few feet of small silver chain commissioned from a jewler, and it was just completed today. The prince can hardly believe he's actually going to complete a pair of the Chained Lady's symbols, but she seems to be warning him. He doesn't want to risk ignoring those dream visions after one of them saved his life.

Chrom is assuming, _tentatively_ , that the Chained Lady is benevolent or at least more interested in saving the world than doing something nasty at the moment. Still, he's actively trying to communicate with an entity older than Mila or Duma, and _much_ older than Naga or Grima. That's mildly terrifying, and by 'mildly' he means 'completely'.

He hides the chains in his pocket as he enters the palace. He knows Frederick is going to be looking for him, and doesn't want the knight to know he skipped training to get chains to talk with an elder god.

The prince manages to make his way back to his room without being spotted by any of the Shepherds or his siblings. He makes straight for his desk and pulls out the single chain link and the toy robin. He takes a small circle of chain and drapes it around the robin's neck. It doesn't make a perfect circle, the ends aren't attached, but it's good enough. The single chain link is a bit easier, Chrom just wraps a length of chain around it and makes a knot so it doesn't fall off.

"Milord!"

Chrom quickly stuffs both objects back in the drawer and closes it. He turns around just in time to see Frederick rush into the room.

"Where have you been!?" The knight asks in a raised voice. "Milord, you should not be going anywhere without a guard!"

"I know Frederick." Chrom coughs. "I was just… at the library."

The knight's eyes narrow. "Truely? That was the first place I checked considering your recent habits, and you were not there."

"Ah." Chrom grimaces. "Sorry."

"Milord, what are you hiding from me?" Frederick asks. "Is this about that tome?"

"Well… yes." Chrom admits. "I have concerns Frederick, and I'm taking steps to find out more."

"Steps that you cannot tell me?"

"You would think me mad." Chrom says bluntly.

"That does little to assuage my worries."

"I'm sorry Frederick. All I can ask is that you trust me." The prince grimaces.

Frederick looks at him long and hard. Chrom stands tall, refusing to be cowed by his retainer's suspicion. He _does_ have a good reason for this, even if he doesn't think the others will understand it.

"Fine." Frederick says, and turns around. "I'll defer to your word Milord, but I am _not_ happy about it."

"That's fine." Chrom sighs. "I'll tell you what's going on either when I have results or when I've determined my efforts have failed."

"As you say Milord…"

###

It's gone. The toy robin is gone.

Chrom left for only a few hours to attend a meeting on the renewed frequency of bandit raids, and when he returned and pulled out the drawer he found only the large chain link still there. He searched all around the room but found it nowhere.

Then there's a tap at the window, and Chrom's blood goes cold at what he sees. Sitting on the _outside_ of the window pane is the toy robin. The chain around its neck is fully circled, no longer having two dangling ends. Even as Chrom watches the toy flaps its wings on its own, and flies over to a nearby tree where it then sits completely still.

" _It's not just a dream. Oh gods, it's not just a dream._ " Chrom thinks. His breath comes rapidly, and he collapses against the wall while staring out the window. He was already fairly convinced the dreams were visions and that the Chained Lady was speaking to him, but seeing such up-front evidence of her power is _extremely_ scary.

He's dealing with a god. He has to remember that. A god, a _god_ , oh god. She animated that toy robin from who knows how far away, and melded the unattached ends of its neck chain together. The Chained Lady now has eyes, if she didn't have some already elsewhere in the world that is.

Chrom pulls himself over to his desk again, and pulls out the chain link. The knot he tied it with had been revised to something more aesthetically pleasing, and if Chrom isn't imagining things the length of the smaller chains wrapped around the large link have increased. There is also a new addition to this link: it's become a necklace with a thin, intricate blue and gold chain forming a complete circle that can easily fit around his neck. Chrom didn't make that.

With trembling fingers Chrom slips the necklace on. It slips under his collar, and can be easily hidden from view so it thankfully won't raise any questions.

" _The prince of Ylisse, the royal bloodline of Marth, and chosen by Naga herself, wearing the symbol of an elder god._ " Chrom thinks as he stares out the window at the motionless bird. " _What is my life becoming?_ "

###

The toy robin is following him.

Chrom left on another mission to take out some bandits, and he noticed as the Shepherds camped that night that there was a bird in the trees watching them. The glint of the firelight off something in the bird's neck gave away what it was.

Now Chrom is constantly on the lookout for that bird as they travel, and the others are starting to take notice. He's had quite a few Shepherds ask him if he's okay and tell him that he looks very twitchy.

He has to focus. The Chained Lady isn't his _enemy_ , he should just ignore the bird and do his job… but it's not so easy to ignore something like that. Chrom can't ignore a god's attention on him.

No! This is not a _choice_. These bandits have to be dealt with, he'll deal with the Chained Lady when he's not otherwise occupied.

"Frederick?"

"Yes Milord?"

"How close are we to Southtown?"

"It's just over the horizon Milord. We should see it any minute now." The knight says.

And so it does. Southtown comes into view in a dozen minutes later… but only after the Shepherds spy the black plumes of smoke billowing from the rooftops. Their march turns into a sprint, and the cavalry charge on ahead to confront their foe.

At a jog it still takes nearly twenty minutes to get to the village. They can't go faster than that or they risk leaving behind the less physically fit of their members (Miriel and Lissa).

When they enter the burning town they find several bandits already dead on the ground, most likely Frederick, Sully, and Stahl's work. That said there are still a number of very alive bandits roaming around. They bolt at the sight of the Shepherds, and Chrom orders his squad to split into small groups to pursue them.

Chrom, alongside Sumia, rush down a fleeing myrmidon. The clumsy girl is no so clumsy anymore when adrenaline starts pumping through her veins and it is she, not Chrom, who lands the first strike on the bandit. Her spear stabs through his shoulder and the myrmidon stumbles, and Chrom finishes him when he cuts through the man's neck with Falchion.

"Th-There's more." Sumia warns, and points to group of men setting fire to a nearby store.

"Let's have at them then." Chrom says grimly. He charges the group with a fierce cry and Sumia in pursuit. It proves to be a bit more dangerous than he anticipated as four against two is not fair odds, and while skilled the two Shepherds can only take so much. They're quickly forced back-to-back to cover each other's blind spots and stand a chance in the fight.

And then Frederick barrels in and totally trivializes the battle. Still, it's better than suffering serious wounds from Chrom's underestimation of the odds.

"Are you alright Milord, Sumia?"

"Yes Frederick… but thank you. We were in a bit over our heads." Chrom admits.

"Let us continue then." Frederick says. He wipes the blood from his lance off on one of the bandit's shirts. "There are plenty more bandits to dispose of."

The rest of the fight is significantly easier. The bandits are more disorganized than the Shepherds, not as well equipped, and don't have the same drive for victory. The most challenge comes from an older bandit named Garrick who manages to hold his own against Frederick surprisingly well, but still falls when tag-teamed by multiple Shepherds at once.

" _Well…_ " Chrom thinks when the last bandit falls and he can get a proper look at the damage. " _This is a mess. We should have gotten here sooner._ "

The rest of the day is spent repairing and aiding the townsfolk and when evening rolls around, rather than stay the night, the Shepherds leave to return to Ylisstol (much to Lissa's displeasure).

###

" _Wake up._ "

Chrom's eyes snap open. The first thing he sees is the toy robin perched on his chest. It stares at his with blank eyes, but when it sees him awake it flutters off his bedroll to the edge of his tent.

There was no prophetic dream this time. The voice came out of nowhere, waking him from his sleep. The groggy prince pulls himself out of his resting spot and grabs his sword and the chain link necklace, not knowing what to expect.

Seeing him up, the toy bird hops out of the tent and takes to the air. It flies relatively low in the air so Chrom can distinguish it against the dark sky.

"Milord?" Stahl's voice calls from the corner of the camp. Chrom quickly turns to face him, having forgotten that there was a guard posted for safety. "What are you doing up?"

"A dream." The prince lies. "The increase in bandit attacks has troubled my sleep of late."

"I think it has for all of us." The cavalier says sympathetically.

There's a loud rustling noise, and for a moment Chrom thinks the toy robin is responsible, but a moment later he notices a whole cloud of birds taking off from the forest and nearly blotting out the moon, and he even sees some larger shapes pushing past their camp. A deer actually bursts out of the bushes and runs straight through the center of camp, totally disregarding the Shepherds as it makes a mad dash _away_ from the deep forest.

"That's not normal." Stahl says in a suddenly hushed voice. "We should wake the others."

Chrom quickly nods. "I'll wake the girls, you get the others."

The two quickly split and rouse the rest of the Shepherds. Within a few minutes everyone is awake, armored, and it's just in time.

A giant circle appears in the night sky. It glows with all the colors of the rainbow, rippling in waves across the surface. The edges of the circle are crystalline and seem to contain the multi-colored energy inside.

This is met, at the exact same time, with an eruption of red lava from deep in the forest. The trees surrounding it immediately catch fire, and the ground under them shakes slightly causing Sumia to trip and a few knick-knacks to fall over.

"There's something coming from the portal." Emmet says curtly as he draws his shock stick.

"Five, ten, fifteen, twenty…" Virion counts as he squints into the darkness. Being an archer, his eyesight is much more impressive than most of the other Shepherds. "Thirty total."

"What are they?" Chrom whispers.

"I cannot tell from this range." The archer grimaces.

"Then we must go and find out. It is our duty as Shepherds." Frederick says boldly. "Milord?"

"I agree." Chrom nods. "Everyone, diamond formation! Lissa, Miriel, Virion, in the middle! Everyone else, around them!"

The Shepherds form up, and start marching towards where the figures dropped from the portal.

"We can't stay here for too long. We don't wanna get caught in a forest fire." Sully warns. "I say we should kill these things and get the fuck out."

"Not like you to talk 'bout runnin' away." Vaike prods with a grin.

"I'm brash, not _stupid_." Sully scoffs. "You want to stay in the fire then be my guest."

"No one is staying in the fire." Chrom says firmly. "As soon as we've sorted these things out, we're going back to camp, packing up, and moving straight to Ylisstol."

They get their answer soon. The Shepherds quickly run across a battle taking place, with a single swordsman combatting several other people… people with purple skin, red eyes, and stiff and unnatural movements.

Chrom swallows thickly. " _Just like the visions._ "

"Milord?" Frederick prompts.

"Right." The prince steels himself. This is no time to got lost in thought or be intimidated. "Shepherds! We must dispose of these creatures! Advance!"

The Shepherds do so. The loose diamond formation is discarded as the frontline Shepherds move forwards, and the backline send their first volley of projectiles at the things. A flame, an arrow, and a bolt of lighting all strike different targets. Only Emmet's lighting kills a creature in one hit through.

Frederick produces a similar result when he smashes into a monster and it explodes into black smoke. None of the other frontline Shepherds can take out a monster in a single strike like him… and that's a problem.

" _Only Frederick and Emmet can hit hard enough to kill these things in one hit._ " Chrom grimaces. It makes sense of course; both Frederick and Emmet have extensive training, and Emmet is an actual war veteran so he's very adept at killing difficult opponents, but it's inconvenient in this moment that the Shepherds only have _two_ people who can quickly dispatch these monsters. " _If we have to fight all thirty Virion saw at once, we're in trouble_."

The swordsman who was originally fighting the monsters has taken rapid steps back to join the Shepherds' frontline. They're masked, with blue hair tucked into the collar of their slightly fancy but worn vest. They wield an impressive sword that looks suspiciously like… Falchion?

Yet another thing Chrom will have to think about later.

"Shepherds! I implore a retreat!" The swordsman says in an obviously exaggerated male voice. They slash through one of the monsters at the neck, killing it instantly. "There are more coming than your small group can handle, no matter your skill! Fall back and bring word to Ylisstol!"

Well, Chrom was already considering that, and the stranger's warning is more than enough to seal that train of thought. "You heard them everyone! Fighting retreat!"

"We're runnin'!?" Vaike barks in agitation.

"We discovered what we needed to, these things are bad news, but there's no sense in getting ourselves _killed_ in a hopeless fight." Emmet snaps at the blond-haired man. He snipes another monster with his shock stick and it explodes into smoke and electric sparks.

"Agreed!" Chrom shouts. "Fall back everyone!"

###

The trip home feels longer than it should. It's five hours on it's own, but it feels like much more. Along the way the Shepherds are constantly on the lookout for monsters. They find several along the way and get involved in numerous scuffles.

The swordsman has joined their travels. He introduced himself as Marth (which no one seems to buy is his real name), and requested to accompany them back to Ylisstol. Chrom saw no reason to turn him down, so the man has joined their march.

In the wee hours of the morning just as the sun is rising, the Shepherds stumble into the city exhausted and half asleep. The guards quickly inform Chrom that Emmeryn wanted to see him as soon as he comes back, and the Prince drags himself to the palace as the rest of the Shepherds (aside from Frederick, who accompanies him) retire to the barracks.

Chrom is herded into the council room, where the full council is assembling around the central platform. Together they are three dozen people. Any lord or lady who happened to be in Ylisstol has taken the place of their usual representative here, no doubt at Emmeryn's orders.

"Chrom, you're here, good." The Exalt murmurs as the Prince takes a seat beside her. Philia nods to the blue-haired boy, who gives his own tired nod in response. "I know you must be exhausted, but I need your help here. I'm afraid security matters of military nature are not my specialty."

"I'll do my best." Chrom mumbles as he tries not to slump in his seat. He gratefully accepts coffee when a servant brings it around, and says to the boy "tell the scribe to have the transcript of this meeting copied and brought to my room. I'm sure to have missed something in my exhaustion."

"Yes sir."

The council meeting starts, and Chrom is immediately disappointed. For some reason the council sees fit to complain that other issues aren't being addressed rather than actually discussing this monster threat. They'd rather complain that the crop issue isn't being talked about than actually be productive to an _immediate_ threat. How petty.

" _This is going to be a loooong session…_ " Chrom thinks with a grimace.

The Prince isn't wrong. It takes a dozen minutes for Emmeryn to get the unruly council members on topic, and even then there's an inane debate about what they should be called rather than _actually dealing with the problem_.

"They have risen from the grave again, perhaps we should call them the Reanimated?" The Duke of Thadbury asks.

The chain under Chrom's shirt seems to grow warm for a moment upon the utterance of the word Risen and, not questioning the Chained Lady's signs, the prince sighs "how about we simply call them Risen? It captures the essence of what they are."

To his surprise, everyone agrees, and they _finally_ get on with the planning stage.

###

The next few weeks are spent trying to deal with Risen outbreaks and generally running the Shepherds ragged trying to keep as many villages safe as possible. Each one they pass they instruct on how to build defences, but they simply don't have the time to stay and help. The Shepherds are some of the best warriors Ylisse has, so they aren't best used sitting around villages building palisades and ditches.

Marth proves to be an extremely useful asset in this endeavor. He shows great tactical knowledge which Virion even praises, and Chrom was quick to invite the man to strategy meetings despite Frederick's distrust of the masked warrior and the Shepherds are rewarded for this in receiving less wounds and having cleaner fights.

In other words, Marth has become the Shepherds' unofficial tactician.

Not only do Risen plague Ylissian lands, but bandit activities have actually increased since the Risen appeared. Chrom assumed that the Risen threat would deter brigands as the Risen should be just as much a threat to them as to Ylisse, but the brigands are actually getting _more_ active and it's compounding all the problems the Risen are causing.

Or perhaps, more accurately, the Risen are compounding the brigand problem.

Due to all this, it is actually a relief to Chrom when Emmeryn sends the Shepherds off to Ferox to gain aid from the Khans. Sure, they're still fighting Risen every day, but at least it feels like they're making _progress_ towards solving the problem rather than just doing damage control.

Part way to Ferox, Chrom gets another dream from the Chained Lady.

He sees a snowy path going through a tall, dense forest of pine trees. The sky is black, with a full moon being the only light. The pine trees are dark, casting the sides of the path in eerie shadow.

Snow crunches under Chrom's boots as he walks. In the otherwise silence of the world, the sound is loud and it makes Chrom wary that he's announcing his presence to an unseen threat. More monsters perhaps? That would seem to be in keeping with the other dreams he's had.

Then he sees something different. A small shrine off the side of the path just a few dozen meters down the road. It's knee height intricately carved grey stone, with a pair of trees carved into the top and a small idol strung up in between them by small chains tied in the branches. A single robin, extremely out of place considering the temperature, perches completely still on the uppermost branch of the shrine.

As Chrom gets closer the shrine seems to deteriorate. It grows rough before his eyes, the chains supporting the idol break, and the trees eventually snap off and leave the idol lying in the grass. When he's close enough to be standing directly before the shrine, it's in ruins. Only the idol is still recognizable, but it's dirty and buried up to its neck in the ground.

The prince reaches down and grabs the idol. Rusted chains remain wrapped around it, and clink gently against one another as the idol is picked up.

Chrom brushes off the idol to get a better look. It looks a lot like a sarcophagus, but the head has space separating it from the container around it. A hood perhaps? Is this idol depicting someone wearing a massive cloak? The idol's limbs and body are entirely bound by the chains, and the face of the idol is one of a sleeping lady.

Then it hits Chrom. A sleeping lady. _The_ Sleeping Lady. The Chained Lady. This represents her. "This is you?"

"Yes…" The now-familiar voice whispers.

"You had a shrine along this path?"

"No… a seal." She whispers. "A prison."

Chrom tenses. "For what?"

A growl breaks the quiet. Chrom turns around quickly, and spies a pair of red eyes across the path. The Prince pockets the idol, draws Falchion, and settles into a battle stance.

From out of the forest stalks a _giant_ wolf. It's at least as tall as Chrom, and much larger in terms of weight and bulk. It has bone protrusions jutting out of it's back and along the limbs, and it's fangs seem unusually long. It's eyes are red and it's skin purple, it's a Risen… and Chrom recognizes the creature.

"A dire wolf." The prince breaths. "Those are legend…"

"Extinct... not legend…"

The wolf snarls, puffing out purple smoke from its mouth, and breaks into a run. It's paws are surprisingly quiet in the snow for such a large creature, but broken manacles around it's ankles clank loudly in the otherwise quiet night. There is also the remnants of a chain caught in one of the bone protrusions in its back, showing it was chained up at some point.

"How long… it has been dead..."

The dire wolf leaps at Chrom, and he dodges to the side. He quickly moves onto the path so he isn't trying to maneuver in snow, and is sure to keep Falchion between him and the wolf at all times.

"Matters not…"

The wolf leaps forwards again, and Chrom dodges again, but the wolf lands close to him and quickly swipes with its paw. The claw scrapes across his breastplate and Chrom's return attack is similarly ineffectual against it's thick hide and bony armor.

"It can be reanimated... all the same..."

His blade doesn't come up quick enough to block a sudden quick bite from the dire wolf, and the prince blacks out.

Chrom wakes up clutching his chain link. He quickly stuffs it in his bedroll when Frederick comes by to wake him up.

###

This time Chrom knows what to expect when he hears a howl peirce the air as the Shepherds are setting up camp for the night. While everyone else seems unconcerned, Chrom draws his blade. The other Shepherds give him a strange look. All except Marth ignore what they probably see as an overreaction, but the masked swordsman walks up to him with a hand on his own sword.

"Prince Chrom, what is it you know?" Marth murmurs as they scan the treeline.

"That's not a normal wolf howl." Chrom says firmly. "And I would reckon we'll be seeing by the time tomorrow arrives."

"You are so certain?" Marth asks quietly.

"Yes."

"I understand then." The masked man murmurs, and then says something surprising. "The visions are never wrong."

That gives Chrom pause. "You have visions too?"

"Indeed." Marth turns to face him directly, with serious pursed lips. "The Chained Lady has yet to lead me wrong."

"I…" Chrom has no idea what to say. He never considered there might be others. "How did you know I had visions?"

"A guess." Marth says apologetically. Chrom has a nagging feeling the masked swordsman isn't being truthful though.

"I see…" Chrom turns away for a moment, pretending to scan the forest to give himself a moment to think.

"What was it you saw?"

"A dire wolf." The Prince whispers. "A Risen dire wolf as large as me. It used to be imprisoned beneath an alter."

"Likely it is the bones were buried, and the shrine put overtop as protection." Marth murmurs. "I presume the shrine is broken, else the wolf would never have become a Risen. The shrine's magic would have prevented that."

"You are familiar with the Chained Lady's powers?"

"Indeed."

"Ah." Chrom wonders if perhaps Marth is the Chained Lady's chosen champion and not himself. After all, it _is_ rather arrogant for him to assume he's important for no reason. After all, the Chained Lady needs any disciple she can get, and he just so happened to be someone who would listen to her.

"Do not doubt yourself Prince Chrom." Marth says as if reading his thoughts. "I guarantee you are no less a champion than myself."

"How do you know?"

Marth smirks. "I was told as much in a dream."

"Of course." Chrom snorts.

A second howl slices the air, and they're reminded what exactly it is that brought on this conversation. Marth draws his own blade as they slowly circle the camp, looking for where the wolf will appear.

"Milord…" Frederick says as he approaches the two of them. "It is simply a few wolves, they dare not bother a group as large as us."

"Under normal circumstances I would agree." Chrom says. "But these are not normal circumstances Frederick. The living dead roam the earth, we have already seen Risen horses for the cavaliers, who's to say dead wolves cannot be similarly resurrected?"

"I had not considered such a thing." Frederick admits. "Should we send a team to hunt them?"

"Perhaps…" Chrom glances at Marth, who shakes his head.

"The wolf- er, _wolves_ will come to us if they are Risen." The man coughs. "It is best we stay here in a defensible position. Venturing off in the woods, even in a group, is a recipe for disaster in a case like this. It is getting dark after all."

"A fine point." Frederick nods.

It doesn't take too long for the wolf, for of course it is only one, to come stalking out of the forest in the dying sunlight. It's just like in Chrom's dream… with the exception of one thing. The idol Chrom saw is caught in the bone spikes on the creature's back.

"What is that thing?" Sumia says nervously as she clutches her spear.

"A dire wolf huh?" Sully grins. "We get to kill a legendary creature. How about that?"

"Such a majestic beast… were it not an undead monstrosity of course." Virion hums and nocks an arrow. "On your command Prince Chrom."

Everyone seems rather unphased by this, maybe because it's just _one_ creature, and a single creature (even a powerful one) is usually easier to handle than many smaller ones. Especially considering Sully has a beast killer in hand, this should be _easier_ than their usual fights despite the strangeness of it.

It doesn't end up being that simple.

The wolf smashes through their lines easily. It's thick hide causes swords and axes to bounce off, and the lance wielders are knocked on their backs before their weapons can pierce the skin. The horses whinny and buck, showing fear in the presence of their predator and nearly unseating their riders.

It's only Chrom, with the magical Falchion, that lands a solid blow on the beast. The sword cuts a gash on its stomach as it charges by, and the dire wolf quickly turns around to face Chrom with bared teeth. It snaps at his head, and it's only Falchion coming up in front of him that stops his skull from being crushed.

"Hah!" Marth shouts, and manages to bury his own blade into the wolf's hindquarters where it sinks up to the hilt. Marth then wrenches the blade free creating a gaping hole in the wolf and sending purple smoke billowing out into the air.

The wolf now whips around to snap at Marth, but the masked man has already moved out of range. The wolf charges at him, and when he dives out of the way the wolf skids into a tent, breaking it, as it's claws try to grip the snow beneath it.

A blast of fire from Miriel scorches the monster's face, and an arrow finds purchase in it's shoulder. Frederick has dismounted, and fearlessly rushes the wolf with lance glinting in the moonlight. The silver point meets the monster's chin and pierces through the hide with the force of Frederick's thrust.

Frederick firmly plants his feet as the monster thrashes wildly. It tries in vain to get the lance out of its head, but the knight is stalwart and refuses to be dislodged from his stance. The monster starts to dissolve from its wounds, and the snarls grow quiet as the upper body fades into purple smoke. The idol, previously caught in the bone ridges, falls silently to the snow.

Chrom walks over to the idol and picks it off the ground. It's just like he saw in his dream: a sleeping and chained woman in a coat so large it looks like a coffin.

"What is that Milord?" Frederick asks, peering down at the small statue.

"The figure of an old god, the Chained Lady." Chrom murmurs as he wipes the snow and dirt off the idol. It's slightly eroded in places, and the straight dark purple color of the stone makes small details even harder to distinguish.

"Who's that?" Lissa asks curiously.

"A deity from a time long past, older than Mila and Duma. A goddess of imprisonment, prophecy, dreams, and restraint." Marth supplies in a low tone. "She is forgotten, but not dead. She is also known as the Sleeping Lady as an old legend claims that she rests beneath the ground in a permanent slumber and communicates only through dreams and visions. Supposedly she also watches the world through the eyes of creatures she has bound with her chains."

"Creepy." The princess shivers. "So, uh, can we fix the camp and get that fire going? I'm freezing."

###

The chain link, bound in it's smaller chains, dangles from Chrom's fingers as he stares at it. The flickering torch light of his room in the Feroxi castle reflects off the shining metal.

The idol rests nearby. Just like the link and the toy robin it too underwent a transformation as Chrom slept. The idol is now painted: the coat is brown with black sigils carved on it, and the woman's face is pale like a corpse except for the lips which are a vibrant red.

The Chained Lady's words swim through Chrom's head as he sits there. "Learn, listen, dream, fight" the Prince whispers to the empty room. Sometimes he wonders if the Chained Lady can hear him even if the bird isn't nearby. Can she see and hear through him as well?

Is he becoming a puppet to this old god? Does he have to worry? It could be argue that all of Ylisse is a puppet to Naga, but that's never been an issue up until his father's war, and one incident doesn't prove that Naga influence over Ylisse is a bad thing.

Chrom simply doesn't know the Chained Lady's disposition, and that's the problem. She could be a total maniac and the only thing keeping him safe is Grima's uprising… and Chrom is helping her come back. He's already supplied her with a pair of eyes in the toy robin, and he's allowing her to influence his actions.

Marth seems to trust the Chained Lady, but that's no guarantee that Marth has fully thought this through or has all the information he needs.

Or maybe Chrom is just being paranoid. He can imagine Emmeryn scolding him for distrusting someone just because they happen to be powerful. That's like a citizen distrusting the royal family just because they make laws, and not because they've done anything wrong.

" _I wonder how okay Naga is with someone marked by her being the champion of another god._ " Chrom wonders as he glances at the mark on his shoulder and Falchion in its scabbard. " _How would I even know? It's not like I can talk to Naga._ "

This is all too much for him. Chrom never asked to get tangled up with beings of immense power, he doesn't know what to do. Sure he can listen, learn, dream, and fight, but what is he supposed to learn _about_? What is he supposed to listen for?

Maybe that's his problem. He hasn't been _actively_ trying to do anything beyond deal with the brigands. If he wants to learn he needs to decide what he needs to learn about, and what to listen for.

"Well, the Risen are clearly a problem." Chrom muses aloud. "Learning about them would be useful. Learning about Plegia might Ylisse some good to help deal with this war too..."

There's no response from the room around him. Chrom will admit he was secretly hoping for some sort of sign, but maybe the Chained Lady expected him to figure this out on his own.

Well it's decided then. In his free time, he'll learn about Plegia. The Risen are a bit more problematic, he wouldn't know where to start with them. Maybe Miriel will have an idea.

###

"Ah, yes, the Risen." The scholarly mage pushes up her glasses. "You are interested in them Milord?"

"They are ravaging our country. I _must_ be interested in them." Chrom says grimly. "If you know the enemy and yourself, you never need fear a battle between the two."

"Sun Tzu, the famous Chon'sin general." Miriel says instantly. "You have read the Art of War?"

"It was part of my military training." The Prince shrugs. "Either way, what do you know about the Risen?"

"Not as much as I wish I did." The mage admits with a grimace. "Unfortunately they dissolve when defeated, so it is impossible for me to conduct experiments or just study them without risking injury."

"What _do_ you know?"

"They are animated by dark magic." Miriel offers. "And while the capabilities of their old body are important to their functioning as undead, they display an alarming range of movement far past what any human would be capable of. I suspect the magic used to animate them also allows for such things. Also of note is the fact that their head is their vulnerable spot, which shows that the head is important to them somehow. If they were true puppets of magic, cutting off the head would be irrelevant unless there is some sort of control device."

"The mask?" Chrom suggests. "Their faces always look unnatural, even if the rest of their body looks normal if a bit purple."

"That… is something I had not considered." Miriel says. She quickly pulls out a notebook and scribbles in it. "Yes, yes, that would make sense. But where do the masks come from? Are they a result of the magic too? Why are they needed…?"

"I'm afraid you are far more capable of answering that then me. Can I trust you to look into it?" The prince asks hopefully.

"Of course my lord!" Miriel nods eagerly. "I was already doing so, and you have been most helpful!"

"Glad I could help then." Chrom nods grimly. "Oh, and one other thing."

"Yes?"

"You're going to be part of the arena team. If you need any repairs to your armor or weapons, get them quickly. I will pay to have them given top priority."

"I shall not disappoint." Miriel says confidently. "You will have my best in the battle Milord."

"I expect nothing less." The Prince says.

###

"So we have an alliance then?" Chrom asks Flavia, extending a hand.

The Shepherds proved victorious is their battle against Basilio's champions. The strongest of the group, a Chon'sin man named Lon'qu, proved especially difficult. It was Marth who managed to defeat the man, but only after he'd thoroughly thrashed Chrom. Basilio, in a gesture of good faith, had actually gifted them Lon'qu to help in the war effort alongside a battle dancer by the name of Olivia.

"Of course we do!" The Khan laughs. "Ferox will happily join Ylisse's efforts against Plegia! We've been looking for an excuse to pound them into the dirt for years!"

"That's good to hear." Chrom sighs. "We are grateful for your help. Our own efforts have been stymied by bandits and Risen."

"Demobilization doesn't help." Flavia scoffs. "You don't got the army for it."

"I know." The Prince grimaces. "Emmeryn is _difficult_ sometimes."

"Well, Ferox will lend a hand until she comes to her senses." Flavia says to Chrom's surprise. "We ain't Ylissian, but we won't let your people suffer just because your sister is being hard-headed."

"Ylisse is most thankful." Chrom smiles tiredly. The fight took a lot out of him, and it's already evening."

"Don't be falling asleep on us yet, there's still a party to attend!" The Khan laughs and slaps the Prince on the back.

"Right." Chrom coughs. Inwardly he groans at the fact he's now expected to stay up for several more hours.

The party is not like a fancy Ylissian noble party. It's more like being at a very large bar with all the ale being poured and the casually dressed warriors sitting everywhere. The Shepherds meld into the crowd rather easily for the most part. Only Frederick looks like he feels out of place with all the informality and roughhousing. Even Sumia is enjoying herself as she chats with a spear woman who took part in the tournament.

Chrom mostly sticks at the main table, accepting the occasional beer and eating some food. Thankfully not too many people want to talk with him or expect him to do anything, so he's free to stay in his seat and rest.

"Say Prince." Flavia says after few hours of talking with her various warriors. She finally has a free moment, and has turned to him. "I wanted to ask, what's with that necklace you're wearing?"

Chrom glances down, and notes with faint horror that the necklace has been pushed up from how he was slouching against the chair and the string (well, the smaller chain going around his neck) is visible.

"Ah, this..." Chrom shifts so the necklace slips out of sight. "Just something I found."

"I did not realize you had a necklace Milord." Frederick says curiously. "I was not aware you owned one."

"It's… well…" Chrom sighs. "Frederick, remember how we talked about my strange habits?"

"Yes?"

"Well this is part of it." He pulls out the chain link necklace for them both to see. "It is a symbol."

"Oho..." Flavia says. She's smiling, but there's a hard edge to her eyes. "You're certainly playing with fire, aren't you Prince?"

"A bit." Chrom sighs. "However, she has proven helpful so far."

"Who?" Frederick questions.

"The Chained Lady." Marth says as he suddenly appears at their table. "An old god, somewhat obscure even in her own time."

"That idol we found was also of her." Chrom adds. "I got a vision of it and the dire wolf the night before."

"I see." Frederick's expression is unreadable.

"Well then, I do hope this goddess of yours doesn't end up being more trouble than she's worth. Gods rarely do things for free." Flavia says warily. "Be wary Prince."

"I will."

###

Marth catches Chrom just as he's about to turn in for the night. They're most of the way back to Ylisse after their trip to Ferox. "Prince Chrom, I would speak with you."

"Of course." Chrom is tired, but he stands up tall and ready. "What is it?"

"I need to leave for a while." Marth confesses. "Now that you have Ferox's help, it would seem to be a good time for me to leave and handle my own affairs for a bit."

"How long is a bit?"

"A few months most likely. I must travel."

"I see…" Chrom says slowly. "Well, far be it for me to stop you. I wish you all the best."

"My thanks." The man bows. "I think you will find my mission helpful. I promise to return as soon as possible."

"We will anxiously await your return then." Chrom says. He extends a hand, and Marth grabs it and shakes. "Come back alive, friend."

"I will fa- _friend_." Marth coughs.

###

At first, Chrom doesn't realize it's a dream. He wakes up in his room feeling very refreshed, and gets dressed as normal. He slips the necklace under his shirt, and steps out of his door.

He walks straight into the gardens, which is the first red flag. His room does _not_ lead directly outside. The sky is blue slightly cloudy but not purple and corrupted like most of his other dreams.

The royal gardens are a bit of a maze, but Chrom has long since memoried the layout. He makes his way to the center of the garden where an old oak tree rests in the middle of a flower bed.

The oak tree looks fine, but there's someone dangling from the branches. A figure, looking just like the idol, hangs by chains from the lowermost branches of the tree. The coat is brown with black sigils, and the chains that bind her clack quietly in a faint breeze. There's a bench situated directly in front of her.

There's also a dozen chained robins sitting silent and motionless in the tree. Some are looking down at him, but others are staring at their surrounding.

Chrom pauses in front of his patron. Her face looks calm in sleep, serene. The idol well represented her face with the pale-as-a-corpse skin and red lips. It didn't, however, catch her tousled white hair that disappears into her oversized coat.

"Hello my Lady." Chrom greets cautiously.

"Prince…" Her lips don't move, and her voice whispers from the wind rather than seeming to come from her mouth. "Sit…"

Chrom does so. He takes a seat on the bench in front of her. Her form looms over him from this position, and the Prince can't help but feel slightly intimidated. "This is unusual for you. Usually you just dump me into some apocalyptic scenario."

"Would you... prefer that...?"

"No, no, I'm perfectly happy with this!" Chrom says hastily.

"I see…" For a moment, Chrom swears he sees the lady's mouth twitch into a smile, but it might just be a trick of the mind. She's been totally motionless otherwise after all.

"What is it you want to tell me this time?" Chrom asks cautiously.

"You have… questions…" The Chained Lady whispers.

"Well, yes." The Prince blinks in surprise.

"I will… hear them…"

Chrom is shocked. He never expected to be able to ask the Chained Lady about _anything_ he wants. He expected that she would keep her distance as befitting a goddess. "I… uh… well…"

The Prince flounders for a moment as he tries to collect his thoughts. He is not prepared for this at all!

"So…" Chrom coughs, gathering his senses. "I would ask why you chose _me_ of all people to help you. Was it my position?"

"No…" The lady whispers. Again, her mouth doesn't move, but he can hear her voice on the wind. "I had… a _vision_ … of you…"

"Ah." Chrom didn't know a goddess could _have_ visions. He thought she only gave them out.

"You are… suspicious…" It's not a question. She _knows_ he's wary of her.

The Prince debates trying to say no for a moment, but quickly decides it's pointless. "Yes. I am."

"Why…?"

"You're powerful, and ancient, and unknown to me." Chrom says bluntly. "I listen to you at the moment because we have a mutual enemy, and you know more than me about it. Aside from that, your motivations, goals, and just general personality are all unknown to me."

"Ah…" Again, Chrom swears he sees a twitch of a smile. "How amusing…"

"How so?"

"You treat me… as if I am… an equal…" She whispers. "Most would… not care… to know… the _personality_ … of a god…"

"Well, you _are_ person." Chrom says cautiously. "And that means you have a personality, and it would be to my benefit to know _something_ about you."

"I see…" She hums. "Well… it is… simple…"

The wind picks up around them: the chains clatter loudly, and the Chained Lady's hood flutters as air rushes past it. Suddenly, sunlight pours into the gardens. The clouds are gone and everything is bright. Only the area under the large tree has any shade to it, and even there a few beams of light snake through gaps in the leaves to touch down on the ground.

"I want... _this_ …" She whispers. "Look…"

Chrom turns around. He's not met with the sight of the garden, but instead a city. The two of them are floating overtop of it on a small island, and from up here Chrom can see people walking all through the city. People chat in the city center, walk into stores and bars, lie in gardens, and generally look at peace.

"I am… not so… _different_ … than you…" The Chained Lady hums. "I may seem… _intimidating_ … but that… does _not_ … reflect… my intent…"

"And your intent is a peaceful city?" The Prince blinks. "That's it?"

"A peaceful… _world_ …" She whispers. "Yes…"

"That's not so simple as it seems." Chrom grimaces. He's had this talk with Emmeryn before.

"Yes…" She agrees. "But… it is… something… to _strive_ for…"

"I suppose it is." Chrom agrees after a moment of thought. "That might mean war though. Violence, death, horror."

"Undoubtedly..." The Chained Lady agrees. "A _lofty_ goal… but impossible…? I say… no..."

"And I'd agree." The Prince nods. He's genuinely surprised at how _normal_ the Chained Lady seems: ominous whispers on the wind, complete motionless, and extreme power notwithstanding. "Another question."

"Yes…"

"Do you have a name? Or do are you just called the Chained Lady or the Sleeping Lady?" Chrom questions.

There's quiet for a moment. Some of the chained birds in the tree stiffly move their gaze over to him from other positions they were watching. Eventually, the reply comes. "Guess…"

"Uh…" Chrom's mind races for something appropriate. Latin maybe? "Somnum?"

"No…"

The Prince suddenly notices that he's starting to feel faint. He slumps on the bench while trying to support himself with his arms.

"It seems… our time… is up…" She whispers. "Next time… another guess…"

Chrom collapses from the bench to the grass. Something wraps under his shoulders, hoisting him into the air like the Chained Lady herself. As his vision fades he swears, for a moment, he sees the Lady shift in her coat and her hands slowly unfold before reaching out towards him.

###

Chrom finds it's nice to not be constantly worrying if he's doing the right thing or not. The conversation he has with the Chained Lady really helped his conscience on whether or not he should even be listening to her.

He's also been making a list of possible names to guess next time they talk… but he has no idea what to expect. Is it going to be an old latin name? A modern sounding name? Chrom simply doesn't know.

"Milord!" Frederick suddenly barges into his room. "Maribelle is being held hostage by Plegia! King Gangrel has demanded an audience with your sister! We are to leave within the hour!"

A peaceful day is too much to ask for apparently. "Go and inform the Shepherds. We shall ride as an escort."

The ride to the border takes a few days. Chrom gets no visions in that time, but he wishes he did. The nightmares that plague the nights of their rushed journey are far less pleasant than even the most startling of the Chained Lady's visions.

At the very least the Shepherds don't find themselves constantly fighting Risen and bandits; the accompanying royal guards and pegasus knights handle those. Trees go by mostly unnoticed as Chrom is occupied with his thoughts.

Eventually Emmeryn and the Shepherds arrive at the main border pass, otherwise known as Dead Man's Pass. Gangrel stands partway down the right-side hill with a dark-skinned lady in a skimpy dress standing next to him. Plegian troops dot the hills on either side of the pass, mostly barbarians and myrmidons with a few wyvern riders waiting in the wings.

"Ah, Lady Emmeryn." Gangrel sneers down at the group. "So glad you could join us."

"King Gangrel." Emmeryn says evenly. "I have come to resolve this issue."

"I see you have." The Mad King says with a smirk. "I'll admit, I never thought you'd stoop to sending someone important to _trespass_ in order to get my attention. Are you really so desperate?"

"Pardon?"

"You could have just sent a messenger!" Gangrel cackles. "Don't let the title fool you, I'm not _angry_ , I'm flattered… but really, a message works just fine."

"I'm afraid I don't follow."

"Well if you want to play coy, I suppose we'll have to treat this as an affront. You, dear Exalt, sent _this_ girl into Plegian." Gangrel snaps a finger, and a cloaked figure brings out Maribelle who has her wrists bound behind her back.

Chrom fixates on the cloaked figure. The cloak has the same design as the one the Chained Lady wore, but it's got different symbols and different colours. It's black rather than brown, and and has gold decorating the corners and the buttons. The inside is purple, as are some highlights on the sleeves.

" _How curious…_ " Chrom thinks with narrowed eyes.

"Do not believe him your Grace!" Maribelle cries out. "These _wretches_ invaded Themis and pulled me from my grand house, but only after _slaying my father and mother_!"

"Hierophant, quiet the girl please." Gangrel sighs. The cloaked figure pulls out a cloth and wraps it around Maribelle's head over her mouth. "Now, Lady Emmeryn… let us negotiate. In order for this transgression to be forgiven, Plegian asks for- no, _demands_ , the Fire Emblem as recompense."

"The Fire Emblem?" Emmeryn says in surprise. "What good would the Fire Emblem do for Plegia?"

"Why, serve as a morale boost!" Gangrel cackles. "A shining symbol of Plegian dominance over her most ruthless neighbour! Just _imagine_ the Fire Emblem on display in the Plegian palace!"

"I-I see." Emmeryn grimaces. "King Gangrel, you know I cannot agree to that."

"Even for the girl's life…?" Gangrel says with a sweeping gesture towards Maribelle.

The Exalt is silent for a moment. Chrom knows what is going through her mind. There's no way she's going to value an object over someone's life, but giving up Ylisse's second-most prized possession (second only to Falchion) will be an incredible blow to morale.

"Time is ticking Lady Emmeryn." Gangrel says. "What is your response?"

Chrom's hand itches on his sword. He almost, _almost_ , wishes Gangrel would just send someone to attack so they could go to war. It would stop all this posturing and they'd finally confront the issue between their countries.

Instead it seems like this posturing is going to continue, but with additional humiliation for Ylisse.

"Mph!" Maribelle shouts in muffled protest. Chrom would guess from her defiant expression towards Emmeryn that Maribelle is trying to say something along the lines of "don't you _dare_ give up the Fire Emblem for me!"

But of course Emmeryn will. She's not going to let someone die over a fancy shield, even a magic one.

Chrom is more surprised that Gangrel hasn't tried to instigate war here though. It seems very unlike him to not pounce on this opportunity.

"King Gangrel…" Emmeryn says slowly. "It seems you misunderstand the situation here."

"Pardon!?" Gangrel sounds incredulous.

"You assume that you have _leverage_." The Exalt says serenely. "And that is not so. I knew the exact details of Maribelle's capture well before coming here, and I know quite well that you have not the manpower here to back up any sort of threat."

"I can still kill the girl." Gangrel threatens.

Emmeryn surprises everyone when she looks the man dead in the eyes and says one word: " _Try_."

There's a minute of tension as the two rulers stare each other down. Chrom can't deny his sister looks very powerful standing at the head of their troops with her head held high and the butt of her staff planted in the dirt. Gangrel looks like a poor mockery of a true king in comparison with his slightly off-balance stance and hunched posture.

"Well… I'll admit, I didn't expect you to have a backbone." Gangrel says, sounding impressed. "What's your card Lady Emmeryn? What's your ace?"

"Why would I tell you?" The Exalt says with a serene smile. "Surprise makes an ace all the more effective."

"So it does…" The king says as he glances nervously around him. The dark-skinned lady next to him leans over and whispers in his ear, and Gangrel nods quickly. "Well Lady Emmeryn, it would seem we are at a standstill then."

"Hardly." Emmeryn whispers. Her expression grows dark, and surprisingly angry. "Let me be clear: if you harm Maribelle in any way, a _single_ hair out of place, you will not live to see the sunset… and I do not think your country can handle the death of yet another ruler."

A chill runs down Chrom's spine. He's never seen that expression on his sister's face. Her normally serene and soft features are turned to something sharp and serious. The effect is noticeable in Gangrel and even his advisor (who seems somewhat unnerved despite being composed a moment before).

"Do you understand, King?" The Exalt says. She's not speaking particularly loudly, but the otherwise dead silence allows her voice to carry further than it would otherwise. "Leave, now. If you attempt such a farce again, I will not be so tolerant."

Emmeryn doesn't even wait for a response. She turns on her heel, and walks away from the pass. The Shepherds, still somewhat in shock, part to let her through and her pegasus guard fall in line quickly. The Exalt pauses a dozen strides into the Ylissian ranks, and glances back at Gangrel.

"And I expect Maribelle back as well, of course."

Chrom stares in disbelief as he watches Gangrel gives some rushed orders, and Maribelle is swiftly set free. The Plegian troops quickly pull back into a tight formation around Gangrel, ostensibly protecting against a surprise attack.

"Wow Sis…" Lissa says. "That was… something."

"Thank you."

"We don't have an ace." Chrom says as he glances over at her. "Do we?"

"Unfortunately not."

"Wait, that was all a _bluff_?" Lissa blinks.

"Indeed."

"Most impressive Milady." Virion praises with a cheeky smile. "You never told me you were a tactician!"

"I am a diplomat Duke Virion." Emmeryn murmurs. Now that Chrom is paying closer attention, he can see that Emmeryn's hands are actually shaking from nerves. "And any good diplomat knows the value of a well-placed lie."

" _Well…_ " Chrom chuckles to himself in slight disbelief. " _She didn't stay Exalt by being a fool, that's for sure._ "

###

"Torque?"

"No…"

"Damn." Chrom sighs.

This time, they're not in the gardens. The Prince and the Chained Lady are instead seated (or at least Chrom is seated, the Chained Lady is hanging from a tree again) on top of a tall hill overlooking… somewhere. Chrom doesn't recognize the city at all. The architecture is foreign, the landscape surrounding it is unfamiliar, and the flora looks mostly foreign.

"So, where _is_ this? It doesn't look like any place I've seen."

"This is... from _my_... memory…" She murmurs. "A very… very… long time… ago…"

"What is it? Er… what _was_ it?"

"Solcast." The Chained Lady murmurs. "The Fortress of the Sun…"

"How old is it?"

"Many… many… years older… than Archanea…" The Lady whispers. "Not _my_ … city… but… a grand one…"

"Did you ever have a city?"

"No…" She whispers. "I was never… _popular_ … so to speak…"

"Imprisonment and chains. I can see why." Chrom chuckles. "That's not exactly what the public finds themself concerned with most of the time."

"Indeed…"

Both of them are quiet for a few minutes as Chrom marvels at the old city. It's made largely of sandstone and clay, with only the central palace being made of stone. It gives the city a brown and dull red color palette thanks to the clay walls, and tiled, mud, or straw roofs.

"Prince… I have… a message… today…" The Lady whispers.

"What is it?"

"A vision…"

The scene below them changes. The sky goes an ominously familiar purple, and the ground is dead and grey once again. Grima isn't in the sky, but the howling winds make Chrom wonder if the giant dragon is nearby to displace all this air.

This looks somewhat like Ylisse again. The (half dead by the looks of it) deciduous forest couldn't be found elsewhere on Archanea. Those sorts of trees aren't found much in Ferox, and Plegia has only oases and a handful of badlands with a few lone trees.

Well, Plegia also has the Fey Jungle, the Titan Sinkhole, and the Dead Swamp, but they're all _very_ distinctive and exceedingly lethal.

"There…" A single chain snakes out from the tree to point to Chrom's left. He looks in that direction, and quickly notices a small rag-tag group of people rushing through the forest below.

There are eighteen people from what Chrom can count, and they have far more than that number in Risen on their tail. From this distance Chrom can't quite make out who they might be though. "Who are they?"

"I cannot say…" The Chained Lady says. "I know… but… I cannot… tell you…"

That's mildly frustrating, but Chrom trusts that the Chained Lady has a reason for this. "Will I find out?"

"Eventually…" She reassures. "But for now… watch."

So he does just that. He watches the eighteen people dodge and weave through the trees and dodge spells and arrows being lobbed their way. Chrom can actually hear the moans and gasps of the Risen as the charge after their prey. This sound comes from all around him as well, and when he spares a glance around him the Prince can see Risen pouring in from all around. This group is going to surrounded soon.

"They're not going to make it." Chrom grimaces.

"Not so…"

For a moment Chrom doesn't understand what she means. The only thing he sees aside from trees, Risen, and the group, is a run-down stone building of some sort.

The group is making a beeline for that building. The Prince has no idea what to expect. How are they going to escape from a pack of Risen using an old building?

Chrom doesn't see what they do, but he sees the result. Space distorts in their area and a shockwave visibly ripples through the air. Something that looks like a bubble appears in the middle of the ruins, and is quickly surrounded by a number of crystals. The group quickly piles through until only two are left.

"I recognize that…" The Prince mutters. "The night of the first Risen attack, I _saw_ that."

Chrom can't hear them, but he can see their arms waving as they seem to be arguing. Eventually, when one turns to cut down a Risen that got too close, the other figure grabs them by their collar and throws them headlong into the portal. A few Risen slip into the portal in chase, but with a quick flash of lightning the bubble-like portal shatters with another visible shockwave and stops other Risen passing through.

One person remains. Someone who intentionally stayed behind. With the help of the crackling electricity around them Chrom can make out the Levin Sword they're holding. There's several more flashes of lightning as the individual lashes out at Risen diving at him, but it's a hopeless fight. Eventually the figure, tired and no longer able to fight, raises their sword one last time and smashes it into the stones below him. There's a sharp cracking noise like a thunderclap a sudden flash of light; several Risen disintegrate from the explosion, as does the wielder of the sword leaving no trace of his existence beyond a few piece of mangled metal and a black scorch mark on the old stones.

Then... silence. The Risen fall quiet, the wind dies down, and the world is dead is once again.

There are plenty of ways to die, but dying in a hopeless fight with no guarantee that your fellows survived is not something Chrom envies, heroic sacrifice or otherwise.

"And so… this world… dies…" The Chained Lady whispers. "No hope… to be found… here…"

"This is our possible future?"

"Yes… and one… that has... happened… to another world…" The Lady says. " _This_ world… from which… those sseventeen… escaped… to ours…"

"Time travellers?"

"Not quite…" She murmurs. "Dimension jumping… is more accurate… but… to be fair… it is close enough… to time travel… so as to… not make… a big difference…"

"I sense a caveat."

"Their world… the one… we see here… will remain… _dead_ …" the Lady informs him solemnly.

"They live in our world now?"

"Yes…"

"So we don't make the same mistakes?"

"Yes…"

"So why can't I know who they are again?"

The Chained Lady hums. "It is not… my place… to say…"

"You're a _goddess_."

She chuckles quietly. "Even so..."

###

The talk at the Border Pass bought Ylisse a bit of time before all-out war. Emmeryn reluctantly allowed for a larger standing army for Ylisse's defence, and while it's nowhere near as large as Chrom would like it's certainly better than they had before.

This extra time also sees the return of Marth, who is surprised when he's told they aren't at war yet.

"Truly?" He asks in surprise. "How unusual…"

Marth also brings along some companions he found in his travels. One is a taguel by the name of Panne, another a thief named Gaius, there's a dark mage called Henry and his pet crows (including one in particular that sticks close to him called Fog), as well as a dramatic blonde-haired boy and a polite spectacled mage who don't give their names.

"I have found all these people trustworthy." Marth informs the Prince. "I would ask they be considered for the Shepherds. I can vouch for their skills and good intent."

"We realize you might be _caw_ -tious." Henry jokes. "But don't worry, I think you'll find we're _birds of a feather_! Nyahahaha!"

"Caw!" Fog chimes in.

"I trust you Marth." Chrom says after a few moments. "I will give these people a chance to prove their intent. Far be it for me to turn down assistance out of hand, especially in such tense times."

"Yaaaay!" Henry laughs.

"I am here to fulfil a debt, nothing more…" Panne mutters. "However, so long as that debt stands, you will have nothing but my best."

"I was promised candy…" Gaius grunts. "But really, this gig looks a lot better than sneaking around."

"My fell sword hand twitches with rage! It yearns for combat in the defence of it home!" The blonde-haired boy cries out.

"You have my assistance." The mage says while bowing to Chrom. "I hope I can be of use."

Well, at the very least the mage looks promising.

###

War may have been delayed, but it came eventually. Plegia never formally declared it, they simply marched into Ylisse with an army unannounced. Thankfully by this time the Feroxi have mobilized, and the newer recruits of the Ylissian armies have at least a little training (though are still woefully undertrained, and Emmeryn hopes she won't have to throw them into a fight anytime soon).

Visions from the Chained Lady (which Chrom now realizes come regularly, once a week) are now totally focused on the war. Chrom hasn't mentioned it to anyone beyond Marth, but half of the reason they're doing so well in battles is because he knows what's going to happen beforehand. The Chained Lady's foresight is integral to their victory.

They recruit a few more people during the numerous battles that follow, including a manakete, a middle-aged mercenary, yet another dark mage, and a war monk.

It's all going so well… then they get to the bones of Grima, and suddenly they're in _very_ deep trouble.

Chrom doesn't know how all these Plegain troops managed to surround them without them noticing, but the fact that each group has a few mages with fire tomes bodes very poorly for him. With one snap of someone's fingers all those mages could shoot on them, and the Shepherds would be caught in a literal crossfire.

Slowly, Chrom pulls Falchion out. He doesn't see an easy way out of this, and he had no vision from the Chained Lady about this.

"Chrom…?" Lissa whispers. "This isn't good…"

"I know Lissa." He grimaces. "Virion?"

"We will not leave here without casualties if we fight." The archer informes him solemnly. "Our other option though…"

"These don't look like Grimleal, so surrender is a bit better that it would be otherwise." Tharja informs them in a raspy tone. "Despite appearances, the king and his subordinates are a lot nicer to their prisoners than Grimleal."

"Milord, someone approaches." Frederick whispers down to them. "It seems to be the hierophant we saw during the talk at the border pass. He is waving a white flag."

"He wishes to talk then? Well, considering our situation, I'm not sure we can refuse." Chrom grimaces. "I will meet him. Is he alone?"

"Yes."

"Then I too shall go alone."

"But-"

"We can't risk presenting a threat at the moment Frederick. We'll be fried."

So Chrom walks out all on his own to meet the cloaked figure. He's very aware of a few archers and mages behind the man aiming their weapons at him, but they refrain from shooting.

"Prince Chrom." The hierophant greets as they stop a few arm lengths away from each other.

"Hierophant." Chrom responds evenly. "You'll have to excuse me, I never caught your name last time."

"Reflet. A pleasure to properly meet you." The man steps forward and extends a hand, which Chrom cautiously shakes. Now that he's close enough the Prince can see a bit under Reflet's hood, and he sees white hair, brown eyes, and pale skin. "I wish to talk."

"Well, seeing as you have us at arrowpoint, I suppose I'll listen." The snark makes its way into Chrom's voice unbidden, and he internally winces. He shouldn't be antagonizing this man considering the situation.

"Yes, well, I couldn't easily send a messenger without it being looked into by someone else." Reflet chuckles. Thankfully he doesn't seem offended. "Anyways, I have a proposal for you."

"And what is this proposal?" Chrom asks tensely.

"Over the course of the war, Plegia has taken some prisoners." Reflet explains. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a long list. "About… four hundred? Only a few seem to be people of note of course, but I'm sure you're interested in getting them back."

"Yes…"

"Well, as it happens, Plegia has some _issues_." Reflet's voice drops low. "We have internal problems here. The crown is not in control as it seems, and the Grimleal are close to overthrowing Gangrel. Plegia is already struggling, it cannot afford another violent government takeover."

"So what does this have to do with Ylisse? You want us to kill the Grimleal?"

"No. Well I _do_ , but that's unreasonable to ask." Reflet says. "Gangrel _will not_ stay on the throne, even he knows this. If rulership of Plegia must transition, it needs to be relatively clean, but there's no way for Gangrel to step down without it looking suspicious, and if he doesn't he'll be assassinated soon enough."

"Okay…"

"So, he wants _your_ help." Reflet says. "Soon, all the prisoners of war Plegia has captured will be transferred deeper into the country so as to be out of Ylisse's reach. Now, say, if the Ylissian army were to _conveniently_ stumble along that location, and the troops guarding the prisoners _conveniently_ happened to be defectors…"

Chrom can't believe what he's hearing. "You would work against Plegia?"

"I work against the Grimleal, but also for peace." Reflet corrects. "And it just so happens that the most convenient way to do both is to have Ylisse retake her prisoners of war."

"What does that have to do with working against the Grimleal? And what about Gangrel?"

"Gangrel will be disguised as a prisoner to escape Plegia safely, and _you_ will announce he was killed in battle against the Shepherds." Reflet whispers. "He is willing to cooperate and help the war effort if it means a quicker and less bloody end to this war."

"I thought he wanted this war."

"That is a facade. The Grimleal want this war, and to avoid being usurped even earlier Gangrel had to oblige." Reflet murmurs. "He's kept their more maniacal machinations at bay so far, but his time as ruler is coming to a swift end. Plegia _will_ be taken over by the Grimleal, and so it's best he survives to plot their eventual downfall, but that the transition is relatively smooth right now to avoid more problems for the populace."

That's not what Chrom expected, but admittedly he's never been well-versed in politics. "Well, it's hardly an offer we can refuse. I'll need to ask Emmeryn, but I can't imagine her refusing."

"Then we're a team now, partner?" Reflet asks. He again extends his hand, and this time Chrom doesn't hesitate to grab it.

"Indeed, partner."

###

Gangrel's so-called death brings a quick end to the war. The new king, a Grimleal by the name of Validar, quickly offers to cease hostilities. Reflet and Gangrel both predicted this would happen. The new government needs time to consolidate its power even if they'd _love_ to continue the war.

In the meantime, the Ylisse royal palace now has a large number of very peculiar individuals living in its halls. Reflet, Gangrel, and a former general named Mustafa all reside there and are constantly consulting with Ylissian generals and Emmeryn. The troops that came along with them (Mustafa's and Reflet's personal units, as well as some close allies of Gangrel's) have caused surprisingly little issue in the time they've been in the city. When not training, they've actually taken to patrolling the nearby woods to fight Risen (with some Ylissian troops tagging along to make sure they don't cause problems, but so far there's been no issues).

Marth disappeared at the end of the war again, but not before handing Chrom a large book titled "Obscure Gods of the Ancient Pantheon" which the man somehow picked up while they were in Plegia.

It has all the information Chrom could ever want on the Chained Lady… and it's started to give him ideas.

That's why during his next conversation with the Chained Lady, after another failed guess at her name, he brings up something he's been looking into for the last few weeks.

"My Lady…" Chrom says slowly. "Do you have a _body_?"

"What a… _peculiar_ … question…" She murmurs. "But yes… somewhere… under the ground… I rest…"

"How would you feel…" Chrom says hesitantly. "About surfacing?"

There's quiet for a moment. Then she whispers "I cannot… I am… too weak… and nowhere close… to here…"

"I know, I know… but I've been consulting with Miriel, Tharja, and Henry, and we all agreed that if _Grima_ could possibly be revived, it should be totally possible to summon _you_ from wherever you are in the world." Chrom proposes. "It's up to you of course. We won't go ahead without your say so."

"You would… trust me…?" She whispers. "I am… a _god_ … and gods… are _dangerous_ …"

"I know. I got that talk from Emmeryn too." Chrom sighs. "But you've been a big help, and as you mentioned before we are not so different. You're a god, sure, but you're a _person_ … and I can't discriminate against someone because of how strong or how old they are."

"I see…" Chrom can't tell if that's excitement or apprehension in her voice. "Well then… I accept… I would _love_ … to be in… the world again…"

"Alright." The Prince feels giddy, and also extremely nervous. "We don't know how long it will take, this isn't exactly a ritual we have guidelines for, but we'll start work gathering the materials for our first attempt."

"I understand… do not rush… I have waited… _millenia_ … I can wait… a few more years…"

###

"I've been meaning to ask…" Reflet says as he glances up from the map. "What's with that necklace? Some sort of fad?"

While the Risen problem is just as bad as ever, bandits are less prevalent meaning overall there are less things to fight. Reflet and Chrom are just going over some new patrol routes with this information in mind.

"Oh, this?" Chrom pulls out the chain link necklace. "No, it's a symbol of the Chained Lady. She's an old god."

"An old god? The one you claim gave you visions during the war?" Reflet asks. He heard mention of this little detail, but he dismissed it as wild speculation or rumor.

"I _claim_ nothing, I _know_ it's true." Chrom chuckles.

"I see… and how about the bird?"

"Pardon?"

"The wooden robin I always see following you around. Is that something to do with this Chained Lady as well?"

"Ah, yes." Chrom quickly glances around to try and spot the bird, but they're inside so it's not around. "I can rarely spot it. You must have a sharp eye."

"I can sense magic fairly acutely. I don't usually _see_ it so much as I feel its presence." Reflet shrugs. "So… what are the visions like?"

"We chatted about this and that, and then she gave me some information on an upcoming fight."

"You _chat_ with a god?"

"Yeah." Saying it out loud, Chrom realizes just how absurd that sounds. If he'd been told he would have casual conversations with a deity older than the Hero King a few months ago, he would never have believed it. "She's friendly enough."

"I'll take your word on it." Reflet says, clearly amused. "How many people _know_ you chat with an old god?"

"Well, I'm sure the Shepherds all know by now. Probably Emm too, and now you."

"But the public doesn't know?"

"Of course not! What would they think if they knew their price worshipped someone other than Naga?" Chrom pauses for a moment, then corrects himself. "Well, not _worship_. More like I'm just involved with her so to speak."

"Yeah, I can see the public not reacting so well to that." Reflet nods.

###

"I can't believe we're actually doing this." Tharja mutters.

She, Henry, and Miriel are laying out a pattern on the floor made entirely of chains of different sizes. It's a fact of magic that using something that is connected to your target increases the magical power of the spell (at least, for these sorts of spells it does). It's a _big_ circle, taking up nearly the entire throne room.

"Nyhaha! I'm surprised the Exalt let us do this! Saying you want to summon an old god seems to me like a _caws_ for alarm!" Henry laughs.

"Well, Emm may or may not be off in Themis seeing the reconstruction." Chrom coughs. "So she sorta doesn't know about this…"

"Ooh, we're being sneaky…" Henry chuckles quietly.

"Caw…" Fog says quietly, copying Henry's low tone of voice.

"Well she won't be back for several days. Themis is still a few days travel, and she just left yesterday." Chrom coughs.

"Yeah, whatever, pass me the toys." Tharja grunts. Miriel hands her the bag of small wooden toy robins. This being another one of the Chained Lady's symbols, Chrom figured it was appropriate to at least have a few around.

It takes a few hours to get the summoning circle made. It's huge, and all the chains required to make it were not exactly inexpensive.

Incidentally, it's been a few months since Chrom had that conversation with the Chained Lady where he made the summoning offer. With dedicated study by the three mages, they're ready to make an attempt far sooner than Chrom expected.

"We are finished." Miriel says as she lays down the last chain. "Now Milord, you remember what you need to do? As you are closer to the Chained Lady, _you_ must conduct the ritual. We shall provide you with power."

"I remember." Chrom nods. He steps into position, pulls out his necklace to hold the large link in his hand, and starts repeating arcane words he memorized over the course of the month. The three mages stand in a triangle around the circle, and channel their power into the thick chain around the edge.

The chant is also a lengthy process, but power starts to noticeably build up about thirty minutes into the ritual. The light from the chandelier overtop of them starts to flicker, and there's a noticeable trembling in the numerous chains littering the floor.

At the one hour mark the toy robin that the Chained Lady controls comes and lands on the window. It watches the process intently.

Another hours passes. Chrom's voice is hoarse and dry, but he keeps up the chant. His arm is exhausted from holding out the necklace, but he keeps it firmly in place.

At three hours Chrom is starting to falter, his voice is almost gone, but the ritual looks to be near completion. The chains are rattling violently, and the toy robin had moved to perch on the chandelier overlooking the circle. Chrom pushes on for one minute, two, three, four, five…

...and at six minutes and three hours, it happens.

The chandelier lights go out, and all the chains in the circle move on their own towards the center of the room, forming a writhing pile on the ground. There's a repeated pulse of energy that even Chrom with his low magic sensitivity can feel emanating from the pile.

Then the chains all go still, and the magic seems to fade. For a moment Chrom thinks it's failed, but the three mages are still watching intently.

Suddenly, several of the chains lash out to wrap around the numerous pillars in the room. A giant spider web of chain links is formed in the room, all attached to the pile on the floor… which is no longer a pile. Instead there's a small hole where the floor used to be, about a meter wide and totally black, which all the chains are leading into.

The chains start to pull back, hauling something out of the hole like a dozen pulleys. When Chrom sees the the top of a familiar hood poke through the hole, his exhaustion temporarily vanishes due to excitement and nervousness.

The Chained Lady, in all her intimidating glory, rises out of the hole and into the palace. She's followed by nearly a hundred robins which fly out after her and settle on the chains holding her in the air. Each and every bird has a chain necklace which keeps it firmly under her control.

The hole stays open for only a few more seconds after everything is out, then vanishes unceremoniously without a sound.

Silence reigns as each side stares at the other. Henry, of course, is the one to break it.

"So, you like birds too?" He asks the goddess cheerfully. "This is Fog."

"Caw!"

"She likes peanuts."

"I see…" The Chained Lady's voice rings in Chrom's head. It's not on the wind like he's used to hearing her voice in his dreams, this voice goes directly into his skull and rings with power. "I too am fond of birds. As you might have noticed, I'm partial to robins."

Chrom lets the necklace drop back against his chest, and tentatively steps forward. "Y-You…" His throat _hurts_ from chanting so much, and it shows in how quietly he's speaking. "Hello my Lady."

"Prince." The lady greets. She looks just like she did in his visions, except _bigger_. She's a solid ten feet tall, and that's not counting the chains keeping her off the ground. Her eyes are still closed, her mouth still doesn't move, and she's totally immobile except for her chains that allow her to move around. "Finally we meet in person."

"Yes." Chrom rasps.

"One last guess." She murmurs. "My name, what is it?"

Chrom doesn't know. He thinks hard for a few moments as all the robins turn to look at him…

Wait.

"Robin."

"Hello Chrom."

###

"You said you have someone you want to introduce to me?" Emmeryn asks curiously. She just returned from her trip a few hours ago. Maybe Chrom found a new recruit for the Shepherds over the week she was gone?

The two of them are standing outside one the guest rooms. Chrom asked her to come here as soon as possible after she returned from her trip. He looks visibly nervous.

"Yes." He says. The Prince knocks on the door. "Can we come in?"

"Yes." A soft voice whispers in response. It takes Emmeryn a moment to realize that it was not spoken aloud, but directly into her head. Telepathy. Suddenly she is nervous about whoever is behind this door.

They step inside, and Emmeryn's breath leaves her. The room is filled with chains which lie inert on the floor, and there's a _very_ tall lady lying in the bed in a cloak. As they walk in all the chains come to life, and the lady is hoisted into the air to tower over the two of them.

"Sister, this is Robin, the Chained Lady." Chrom says quietly.

"As in the old god?" Emmeryn says in disbelief.

"Yes."

"Hello Exalt." The goddess whispers. "A pleasure to meet you."

"H-Hello." Emmeryn stammers. She recovers quickly though as her diplomatic training kicks in. "My thanks for lending my brother you assistance."

"Of course." Robin has no facial expressions, so Emmeryn has no idea what this lady is really thinking and it unnerves her. "Though, truly, I should be thanking _him_ for summoning me. It has been so long since I've been in the sun and been able to hold a conversation for more than a few hours a week. Sending visions is very energy intensive for a deity as forgotten as myself…"

"I see." Internally Emmeryn is still somewhat panicking. Chrom _summoned_ _a god_?!

"By the way." Robin murmurs. "I am prepared to help efforts in fighting Risen and preventing Grima's rise."

"Pardon?"

Robin pauses. Chrom coughs sheepishly and looks away. "Chrom…"

"Look, I couldn't just go around telling people Grima was coming back. Who would believe me?" The Prince protests.

"Grima is returning?" Emmeryn ask urgently.

"Not now, but within a few years." Robin warns. "Efforts must be made to prevent his return."

"If that requires conflict with Plegia, I'm afraid I must insist on finding another way. We just finished a war a mere six months ago." Emmeryn says firmly. "And I am no war advocate to begin with."

"Hopefully that won't be necessary." Robin hums. "But we _will_ need the Fire Emblem and the five gemstones, one way or another."

Emmeryn supposes she shouldn't be surprised to know Robin knows about those objects, she's presumably observed the world for thousands of years, but it's a bit startling nonetheless. "I see… well, Ylisse has one gemstone and the Fire Emblem. Presumably Ferox has another, as does Plegia. Some remnant of the old Valmese empire should have the fourth gemstone… and the fifth is lost."

"We have a few years to find it then." Robin whispers. "Grima must be stopped."

"Of course." Emmeryn agrees. "You have my cooperation, _within reason_."

###

"Prince Chrom told me you wanted to see me?" Marth asks cautiously as he walks into the room.

"Yes Lucina." Robin hums. "I do."

"Lucina… you know who I am?" The masked girl whispers.

"Of course." Robin says serenely. "Did you assume my visions would _conveniently_ omit that detail? Dear daughter, I would hope you know me better than that."

"You know I'm not really your daughter then." Lucina grimaces.

"If we are speaking technicalities, then yes, you are correct…" The Lady murmurs. "But I am not so petty. You may be from another world, but if you would still call me your mother, I will happily call you my daughter."

"I…" Lucina clearly has hangups, but she'd be lying if she said she hadn't been excited to see her mother again… even if she's technically a different person. She wouldn't deny her friends this possibility, so why should she deny herself? "I would, if you'll have me…"

"Of course dear."

"Can I…?" Lucina holds out her arms.

"Please do. I would reciprocate, but… I'm asleep."

Lucina wraps her arms around her mother's form. The Lady cannot respond with her body, but she moves some chains to wrap around her daughter.

"Lucina. I have two questions."

"Yes?"

"When do you plan to tell your father?"

"I… I didn't." Lucina admits. "I planned on leaving him be, never to know my identity."

"Well, I must insist you change your mind."

"O-Of course."

"Secondly… do you have powers? You are a demigod after all."

"I have more strength and speed than a normal person…" Lucina says uncertainly.

"Can you manipulate chains?"

"No."

"Hmm… curious." Robin murmurs. "You must have some ability. I am yet to see a demigod without _some_ sort of power. We can explore that if you wish."

"I would enjoy that." The girl says with a tentative smile.

"However, we must do it in our spare time. Soon we must be on the move to find the gemstones, as well as your missing friends, and it will require plenty of travel."

"That's fine. I've managed so far without any sort of power."

"And managed quite well I might say. I'm proud of you dear. You've been through so much, and you were still prepared for more..."

"Th-Thank you mother." Lucina murmurs. She rests her head against the tall woman to hide the prideful grin coming across her face.

###

"You know, I'm still getting over the fact that I don't get visions every week anymore." Chrom says to Robin one day as they're travelling to Ferox. After a few weeks of preparation, the Shepherds have set out to find the gemstones starting with the one supposedly in Ferox. "It's still strange to have you right here next to me."

The two of them are sitting inside a carriage. Robin _can_ move at a fine pace on her own by using her chains, but for the sake of not having some villager spot her and freak out she travels in the carriage.

"I could say much the same." Robin hums. "It is strange to speak to someone in person, to feel the sun, to experience the world… even if I am still asleep."

"Is it possible for you to wake up?"

"Yes, I have done so before, but it is both difficult to facilitate and impractical most of the time. When I am awake I cannot have visions."

"Just because it's impractical doesn't mean you _shouldn't_." Chrom reminds her. "I mean, if you _want_ to wake up of course. You don't need visions _all_ the time."

"True…" She whispers. "Maybe one day then, after this mess is over with…"

"That sounds like a plan." Chrom grins. "You'll have my help with that too, if you need it."

"My thanks Chrom." Robin says. "But first things first, we have a world to save."

"Fair enough. Let's talk strategy then. Plegia won't just give up a treasure to the people who invaded them last year after all…"

* * *

 **Whoo… okay… this was long. 18000 words about. I had to stop here because I was** _ **not**_ **going through the whole Valm arc too.**

 **I like this chapter, but there are a few things I would fix on a second go. Robin went too quickly from an eerie vision giver to a friendly and not very intimidating lady who just happens to speak through dreams. I would ease that transition a bit more if I wrote this again. Also, I sorta wish I'd explained Reflet's role a bit more. The idea is that since Robin can't be Grima, Reflet is Grima. Robin was hella fun to use though. I really enjoyed writing those first few visions especially. Actually, I think the first few thousand words definitely have all the best parts.**

 **Jury's out on how** _ **good**_ **this chapter is though. I like it, but that might just be because of how much effort and time went into it. How good it is… that's up to all you.**

* * *

 **bauers374** **:** Well, from the quick bit of research I did, I assume you mean a Robin that leads from the front and is favors brash, hyper-aggressive, surprise attacks for tactics.

Also that's good to hear, I channeled a bit of what I know about writing cute characters for Robin in that chapter and was hoping it turned out well.

 **Firehedgehog** **:** Yep. I'm thinking Hypopituitarism, but I don't know enough about the condition so I refrained from saying anything in the chapter.

 **Dayleaf** **:** Yeah, Robin and Tiki is surprisingly difficult to find. I mean, there are _several_ pairings that are hard to find, but Robin and Tiki seems like it _should_ be popular but it just isn't for some reason.

 **Darkness is Complete** **:** Uh… no.

 **Fantasy Paradise** **:** :D

 **PrincessArien** **:** Glad ya like it!

Tiki was an interesting experience for me. I've always seen her as being super chill and tolerant most of the time (and sorta lazy), but with moments of childishness and repressed desire for personal connections that she usually doesn't indulge (because she will inevitably outlive everyone). Writing that delicate mix was a challenge.

 **G** **:** All of those are fine except Tooth Fairy because… well… I've already done Fairy, and I have _no_ idea how tooth fairy would work.

 **Guest** **:** Neither did I. It was totally unplanned, but I realized that Henry would totally launch a quip in that situation so I just threw it in and rolled with it.

 **PrometheusDark** **:** A lot of people seem to like this ship. I never realized it was so popular considering how few stories there are on it.

 **LoveGlutton** **:** I still have several stored away. The one I used this chapter, Conpeskinesis, was probably one the better ones though. Most of them are just really hard to do so I haven't attempted them yet.

 **Cyberchao X** **:** I've had plenty of time to develop a response to the issues that arise with a shota (and similar) characters. I won't explain it all here (because I tend to rant), but thank you.

 **Lobotimite** **:** I'm saying no to Uncle Ruckus (because I don't know what Boondocks is) and Kenny (because I've already done a similar idea). The others are fine though.

Don't worry about not knowing the politically correct term. People are over sensitive. No matter what you say _someone_ will throw a fit. As long as it's not a slur/used maliciously, you're fine in my book.

 **Wrathie Winsre** **:** "Disregard of Personal Space" was a difficult quirk for sure. I wasn't sure how to write it in a way that would actually be noticable.

You're not exactly wrong about Tiki being attached. My idea when writing Tiki was: "laid back, very tolerant, somewhat lazy, and secretly yearning for human connection." I think it came through rather well!

Tiny hug ninja that _kills you_ … with hugs.

Well yes, people can't just snuggle up to others unless they're close, but the "No Sense of Personal Space" quirk is basically all about having no sense of that social more. Which I guess doesn't actually make it any less questionable, just less unusual for the person in question.

Thank you :D

Hence why I left it unsaid.

A list of signatures? That's a good idea… I wish I'd thought of that.

That's a tiny-ass egg… aww… that would be cute…

Maybe that teleporter _would_ have something to say. I don't really know of course, I don't watch that show. Is it particularly powerful?

A ladies man? Huh, I guess it could be seen as that. It never occured to me, but on reading it again he totally comes off like that. Wow. And to think I was worried I couldn't write a suave character… also yes, some stories like that probably would have helped.

And a mutual escort mission at that. Unless we're just talking about Chrom (because Robin doesn't have to be deployed).

I do _not_ do well with horror in real life, so I'm not sure I could ever write it. Suspense is fun to do though (if difficult, I always worry there's not enough/too much buildup or the payoff isn't enough). Emm's death is a weird case for me. On the first playthrough it was impactful (mostly because of the Mustafa chapter)… but on subsequent playthroughs I realized how stupid it was. The pegasus knights dying just felt _mean_.

Emmeryn that complains all the time? Hmm… I like it…

Well yeah, I could say "magic", but that's _boring_.

No, Sumia the assassin is _genius_. No one would believe she's an assassin because she's abysmal at stealth! She'd suck so badly at being an assassin that she'd make for a great assassin! :D

I don't mind tsunderes. I hate _mean_ tsunderes. Severa is pretty much the embodiment of the _worst_ way to do that trope in my mind.

Wow, that would be a _terrible_ proposal by modern standards… but I see your point.

I think we've gotten a bit off-track in this tactics conversation. This no longer has to do with specialization or the supposed effects of gender on warfare. Can I make the call that we drop this?

Miriel is a great story tool, that's for sure. Ricken is the shota I guess (though he's also just _young_ unlike Nowi).

People are impatient and rarely see the bigger picture, governments are stubborn, slow, and corrupt (at least to some extent, it's just the nature of being an institution of power). Old ages might have been simpler, but I'm not sure they were _safer_. Modern laws (while a mess and behind the times in a lot of cases) are still miles better than what they used to be. Also medical science used to _suck_ for a long time, you could die from simple and easily preventable infections.

You love Lucina so much, but you'd have Chrom take her place as the time traveller? Shame on you…

… joking of course.

True. Convenient plot devices can be useful.

There's always the chance that Frederick disapproves of their methods, but otherwise yes.

I actually realized that problem very early on and I have just taken to ignoring Frederick when I write so I don't have to constantly justify Chrom being alone. Frederick is _too_ good at his job.

See ya!


	51. Servant Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **Minor: Dark Flier, Immortal, Boxer (Pugilist), Exploitive, Swordmaster, Angry Cinnamon Roll, Tripping, Perpetual Cheer, Chef, Blacksmith, Pegasus Knight, Teacher, Librarian, Masochist, Literal-Minded, Authoritative, Middle Age, Wyvern Rider, Phobia, Thicc, Tsundere, Damsel in Distress, Gangrel's Child, Wyvern Rider, Child, Communist, Bomber, Bear Cavalry, Flying, ADHD, Super Strength, Patriotic, Martial Artist, Scottish, Sassy, One Liner.**

 **Standard: Elemental, Deaf, Foreign, Future sight, Nurse/Medic, Valmese Tactician, Medusa, Amazon, Genderfluid, Gift from Validar + evil to good, Mind Control, Banshee, Mimic, Emotionless, Crippling Overspecialization (Idiot Savant), Coward, ESP, POW, PTSD, Magician, Mute, Handicapped, Secret Helper, Crazy, Morpher, Dreamwalker, Motherly, Twins, Regenerating, Animal Whisperer, Naga/Tiki Assistant, Deadly Touch, Mind Reader, Doppelganger, Arachne, D &D magic, Umbramancer, Horror Monster, Detective, Dominatrix, Songstress, Kinky, Matchmaker, Androphobic, Fashion Designer, Illusionist, Attraction Aura, Ring Maker, Therapist, Teleporting, Crippled, Puppet, Broken, Hallucination, Depressed.**

 **Unlikely: Chrom's child, Minotaur, Paladin, Werewolf, Assassin, Future Soldier, Bounty Hunter, Weather control, Kleptomaniac, Druid, Steampunk, Shadow Familiar, Magic Augmentation, Lucky, Exile, Piper (Charmer), Gladiator, Witch Doctor, Centaur, Drunk, Demon, Punk, Harpy, Revenant, Luck Manipulation, Demon Summoner, Megalomaniac, Kitsune, King of Plegia, Mood Ring, Reverse Aging, Hammerspace, Prostitute, Demon Hunter, Cyborg, Maid/Servant/Butler, Deadlord, Rebellion, Einherjar, Trap, Yandere, Living Weapon, Size Shifter, Queen of Plegia, Gluttonous, Stretchy, Ninja, Alchemist, Protoss, Spirit Manipulation, Invisible, Plegian Honor Guard, Mecha, Kryptonian, Creator, Orc, Memory Stealing Respawn, Racer, Khan, Misfortune, Vampire Hunter, Geokinetic, Imaginary Actualization, Death, Resurrection, Force, Merchant, Background Music, Variable, Civilian, Natural Disaster, Mental Noise Projection, Hidden OP, Summoner, Cyclops, Teleporter, Cryokinetic, Genie, Judge, Intangibility, Fortune Teller, Future Vision, Serial Killer, Pervert, Magic Fixit, Drakengard Restoration, Ying-Yang, Childhood Friend, Cyberpunk, Chrom's Mother, Obsessed, Berserker, Phase Shift, Gravity Manipulation, Hallucinating, Bladesoul, Zombie, Double Entendre, Shared Body/Two Souls, Cannibal, Singer, Violent, Insane, Waterbender, Casanova, Cupid, Undertaker, Master Thief, Guard, Faceless, Shadow, Age Control, Cradle Snatcher, Emo, Singer, Nun, Courier, Haunted Knight Armor, Egyptian, Sentient Object, Shit Lord, Court Wizard, Naga's sibling, Mad Queen, Artist, Predator, Cheshire Cat, Radio Host, Chimera, Wendigo, Witch, Symbiote, Hivemind, Hammerspace, Anna, Mother Nature, Psychopath, Stripper.**

 **Other: Self-insert, Second Generation replacement, Dimensional Walker, Cycle, Fates.**

 **Sleepless, suggested by Darkness is Complete. Also Stalker as suggested by Invisible Prince. Know what? Let's throw in Servant suggested by Guest for good measure. This'll be a fun combo.**

 **I tried to make this work for other characters, but this really worked best with the royal family.**

* * *

"Good morning your Highness!"

Emmeryn really should be used to this by now, but somehow she's constantly surprised by seeing the man smiling down on her in the morning. He has the same permanent smile on his face that he always has, framed by his long smoke-grey that drops all the way to his knees in organized dreadlocks and highlighted by his similarly permanently happy grey eyes.

"Good morning Robin…" The Exalt murmurs tiredly. "I trust getting in wasn't too difficult?"

"No more so than usual."

Robin has proven time and time again that he can get into anywhere if he wants to. Emmeryn has learned that from having him intrude on her private quarters _dozens_ of times before he was given a key. He has the key now, but he's made a game (more like a personal challenge to himself) of sneaking into her room unnoticed in the morning.

This is all a sugarcoated way of talking about Robin's personality quirks. A couple tests from Miriel a few years in the past revealed that Robin scores extremely highly on certain sections of psychopathy tests. Those sections are boldness and disinhibition. Things that would embarrass a normal person don't really bother him. That's why he feels no real shame in randomly intruding on people's private spaces and unabashedly following and eavesdropping on them.

Thankfully, his cruelty scores were perfectly normal, so while he may be uncomfortably bold he's no more malicious than anyone else. He also fixates more on the 'spirit' of a job than the actual letter of the contract, hence his disobedience of certain orders (like _not_ stalking, eavesdropping, or breaking into people's rooms) as he's "supposed" to be at the royal family's service at all times.

Even Frederick tends to be mildly disturbed by Robin's fanaticism. Emmeryn, for her part, just thanks Naga that Robin is friendly and loyal beyond his quirks.

Speaking of quirks…

"What did you do over the night this time?" Emmeryn asks as she rises out of her bed. She's not surprised to see her outfit already laid out and ready for her.

"I organized your unread reports, brought you some some new ink and new quills, cleaned your suite, polished your staff, and just a few minutes ago prepared your bath." Robin says cheerfully. "Oh, and I spent a bit of time reading. I borrowed a candle."

Robin doesn't need to sleep, so he inevitably spends his nights doing random tasks. Why he doesn't need to sleep is beyond all of them. As a consequence the palace guards have gotten used to seeing Robin randomly walking around the corridors at night (or climbing on the walls, or a tree, or walking on the roof, or climbing into a window, or really just doing anything anywhere). During training new palace guards are actually explicitly told about Robin so there aren't any false alarms.

How (and _why_ ) on Earth her parents obtained a person like Robin to be the royal family's personal servant servant is beyond Emmeryn.

"I see." Emmeryn murmurs as moves into the next room of her suite. "I will take that bath then. If you please, would you check my schedule while I bathe?"

"As you wish your Highness."

As much as Emmeryn would love to take a long time in the bath, she simply doesn't have that much free time as Exalt. She is done in ten minutes, and when she exits she immediately starts putting on her dress. Robin has clearly finished what she asked him to do, and patiently watches her put on the simple-looking but complex robes.

"Can you get the headpiece please?" She asks. If there's one thing that's true about a high-ranking women's formal garb, it's that it can rarely be put on just by the person wearing it. Being the Exalt means she's in such wear all the time. Thankfully the dress itself isn't too difficult, but the headpiece is a hassle.

"Of course." Robin helps her settle the clumsy headpiece onto the back of her head. "Do be careful your Grace. This thing will do horrors on your back and neck. You may sit upright, but having a weight like this attached to you eight hours a day does you no favors."

"Thank you for your concern Robin." Emmeryn chuckles. "What is first on my schedule?"

"A meeting with Philia about some changes to the Pegasus Corps over breakfast." Robin informs her. "You have thirty minutes to be there."

"Right." She murmurs. "My siblings-"

"-are going to the Shepherd's barracks after breakfast. If you wish to speak with them at all today, you must do so _now_." Robin says, knowing exactly what she's going to ask.

"Then we must be off quickly." Emmeryn grabs her staff, checks her appearance once more, and takes off at a brisk walk down the hallway. Robin trails behind a few paces, smiling serenely.

###

"Robin…"

"Yes my Prince?"

"What are you doing?"

"Watching you of course." Robin chirps. "I must always be ready to serve!"

"I have Frederick for that." Chrom says.

"Frederick is training." Robin counters.

"Robin, I don't need anything at the moment." The Prince clarifies.

"I know."

Chrom sighs under his breath. He knows this a futile argument. They've had it dozens of times before. Even if Chrom did manage to convince Robin to leave the room, he'd just go and listen by the window or outside the door instead.

"Why aren't you with Emmeryn?"

"She told me I couldn't come into the meetings." Robin says. Neither his tone nor smile change, so it's only the slight tightening of his fist that betrays his annoyance at this fact. Chrom isn't surprised he wasn't let in, but honestly the man is probably smarter than most people in that room. Robin is incredibly intelligent despite his upbringing as a servant. Chrom suspects it's all the reading he does overnight.

Chrom also finds it creepy that Robin can be very angry but look totally unphased. He's seen people keep a straight face when angry, but the smile just makes it unnerving.

"You just spelt 'understand' wrong." Robin says cheerily.

The Prince sighs and crosses the word out.

"What are you writing anyways?"

"A request for more funds for the Shepherds." Chrom grunts. "We're supposed to be elite soldiers but we certainly aren't outfitted like them. Sully and Stahl use _bronze_ weapons for Naga's sake…"

"Ahh…" Robin nods. "Is that your argument?"

"Of course."

"It's not going to work."

"What!?"

"Is this going to be presented to Emmeryn, or a council?"

"A council."

"They're not going to _care_ about the Shepherds." Robin informs him bluntly. "Maybe the Themisian representative will because of Maribelle, but aside from that they're just going to brush you off. They're going to think you're whining that your armor isn't shiny enough."

"So what do I do?"

"Don't argue about you not 'looking the part', argue that you don't have enough funds to be properly effective." Robin suggests. "The fact that you don't look the part can be a side-note, and really that's not your primary concern anyways, is it?"

Chrom thinks for a moment. "No, I suppose it's not." He admits. "Thank you Robin. That's a good point."

"You're welcome my Prince."

###

Robin was going to get more candles. That's all he was doing. He was going to the storehouse to grab some. He didn't expect to see a hooded figure coming over the wall, and sneaking past the guards.

" _I could alert the guards._ " Robin thinks as he watches and silently follows the figure. Robin's own dark cloak blends in well with the night so the figure doesn't notice him despite constantly glancing behind himself. " _But if I alert the guards, this person will start running, and if they start running they might escape or cause harm to someone. Best to try and get close and deal with them myself._ "

The servant reaches into his cloak to grab one of his weapons: a dagger, one of a four set, all identical, and each is inlaid with a small clear crystal about the size of a grape in the hilt. He doesn't draw it yet. He doesn't want the steel of the blade to reflect any light and give him away.

He stalks the intruder through the gardens. He's careful to time his steps with the figure's so he can't be heard, and the leather of his boots is much less noticeable on the cobblestone pathways than the guards' metal ones. Robin debates throwing his dagger at this point. There's no one around to get in the way, and he has a mostly clean shot… but if he can't get the figure to talk, then Robin has essentially found out nothing.

No, better to let the intruder keep walking. Let them get where they want to go so Robin knows _something_ about why they're here, _then_ dagger them.

So Robin does just that. He keeps his distance, stalks, and observes the figure. The figure makes his way through the gardens and eventually finds the servant's entrance around the back of the palace. The figure fiddles with the lock for a few minutes and successfully picks it. The lock detaches with a quiet clicking noise, and the intruder slips inside. Robin waits a few seconds so the man doesn't hear _him_ enter before he steps inside himself.

Calmly, Robin trails the figure though the castle. He watches in faint amusement as the intruder dodges guards, peers around corners, and shoots constant glances behind himself. Robin himself is evading detection by hiding in flickering shadows (and he knows where _all_ of those shadows are. Sometimes he practices evading guards just for fun, and that's where he learned all that). Again, his dark cloak is massively useful here.

Robin follows the figure up a flight of stairs to the second level of the castle. The servant has a vague idea of where the intruder is headed, all the royal family's rooms are on this level. This person is probably an assassin.

" _Well, that hallway has guards posted at either end at all times during the night._ " Robin thinks to himself. " _There's no way they can get in unnoticed that way… unless they go through a window._ "

Sure enough, when the assassin notices the guard in front of the hallway they immediately make for a window and start pulling out some climbing equipment. Robin decides he's seen enough at this point. He presses his thumb down on the clear crystal embedded in the dagger he's holding, and the crystal turns from clear to blue signifying it has receiving and processed his magic.

With a quick, silent throw the dagger zips through the air and hits the man in the back of the skull. It sinks up to the hilt and stays there, no blood comes out of the wound, and the intruder goes completely still.

"Muscle freezing. Useful for detaining people." Robin whispers conversationally as he walks up to the intruder. He taps the hilt of the dagger. "The blade turns incorporeal, so there's no injury done to you. That said you're not going to be able to move until I pull the dagger out."

That's not strictly true, they can still move their eyes, but it's close enough.

"Your magic resist must really suck." Robin continues cheerily as he pulls back the figure's hood to reveal a young man with black hair and detailed grimleal tattoos all over his bald head. "Usually there's _some_ resistance, but the dagger just slid right into you no problem. Not even a spark of magic to stop it..."

The man's nostrils flare a bit as his breathing picks up. He's either angry or fearful, maybe both.

"Well, now, let's go somewhere more private. We're in the middle of a hallway right now, and you never know when someone might walk by." The servant chirps. He casually packs up the man's climbing gear, throws him over his shoulder, and saunters away. As soon as he passes by a guard (no longer hiding his presence) he says "hey, there was an intruder. Check for more."

The guard stares bug-eyed at Robin for a moment, but snaps out of it a moment later and starts shouting to the other guards.

###

"Robin…"

"Yes your Grace?"

"Please tell my you haven't been torturing the man."

"Of course not." Robin hums, still smiling. "Though I may have scared the shit out of him a few times."

The would-be assassin in sitting in a cell with his hands chained behind his back and his legs weighed down with a metal ball. He no longer has the dagger in the back of his head but is completely still all the same.

"His name is Gordan." Robin explains. "Grimleal assassin, top class."

"Who sent him?"

"No idea." The servant shrugs. "I couldn't get him to say too much. I'm no interrogation expert."

"And you say you saw him go over the wall and followed him into the castle?" Chrom asks.

"Yep." Robin nods. "I'm positive he was heading for one of your rooms. He was preparing to climb outside on the windows when I daggered him."

"You didn't stop him before?" Frederick asks sharply.

"Then we'd have no idea what he was aiming for." Robin explains calmly. "I was in control. I never let him get out of my range."

Frederick clearly doesn't approve. "That is unacceptable. You should have raised the alarm and detained him as soon as possible."

Robin shrugs. "Maybe. But this was more useful."

"So Emm, what do we do with him?" Chrom asks quietly.

"We…" Emmeryn pauses. She clearly doesn't like this sort of decision. "Keep him here. Keep asking him questions. Let us see if Plegia will ask about him, perhaps he can be a bargaining chip."

Robin thinks that's very pragmatic of her. Just executing the man was obviously not something she would do, but allowing him free is also out of the question. Using him as a resource makes perfect sense.

Chrom doesn't agree though. "So, if Plegia asks, we're going to let him go?"

"Possibly, but only for something in return." Emmeryn admits. "I don't like it either Chrom, but I won't needlessly kill someone."

The prince purses his lips. "If you say so."

###

"I suppose I will join you today my Prince." Robin says with a smile as he pulls a pair of daggers out of his cloak.

"You're leaving Emmeryn?"

"She's protected by dozens of guards. You and Lissa are to be on the front lines should things go wrong. I am of most use here, with you." He chirps.

"Well… that's good." Chrom says uncertainty. He's never actually seen Robin fight, so he's somewhat worried, but he managed to take on that assassin without issue so he _should_ be fine, right? "Virion?"

"I presume you have some combat experience?"

"Of course." Robin smiles.

"Then take up a position behind Vaike. Try to keep him from killing himself." Virion orders.

"As you wish my Duke." The servant says with a bow, surprising the man.

"Did you tell him?" Robin hears the archer whisper as he walks away.

"No. He probably listened in at some point." Chrom whispers back. "He does that."

The talk with Gangrel, predictably, goes poorly. Emmeryn is quickly rushed away when the Plegian soldiers start streaming down the hillside, and the Shepherds take the rearguard position.

"There's the commander." Chrom mutters as he points at a man with fancy armor riding a wyvern. "Virion, plan."

"We can't move forward yet." Virion warns. "If we do so, those wyverns will swoop around our backs and we'll be surrounded. A most brutal pincer tactic which we cannot easily counter." He points to a few abandoned forts lying around. "We must move slowly and steadily. If those wyverns approach, we must be sure we are prepared to strike them down."

"Right. You heard Virion! Slow and steady, don't get in over your heads!" Chrom barks. "Mages! Take out those Wyverns whenever you can! We need them gone!"

Robin quickly discovers why he was assigned to Vaike. The man is _incredibly_ reckless, and Maribelle is specifically assigned to him just to make sure he doesn't kill himself charging at three soldiers at once.

Robin quickly finds the best way to make sure Vaike doesn't die is actually to let Vaike take a bunch of hits and just focus on killing things.

And Robin is good at killing things. "Hold this." Robin chirps, and throws a paralysis dagger into the man's chest. The servant draws another dagger, slashes the frozen's man's throat twice, and then pulls his first dagger out. The dark mage falls dead to the floor. "Thank you."

He presses the gem on one of the daggers, letting it flare red, and chucks it into a group of soldiers. It impacts a myrmidon on the chest and immediately explodes into a small fireball that sends the Plegian troops scrambling around as they try to put out their flaming hair and clothes.

Robin weaves between the panicking soldiers, slashing throats as he goes, and snags the dagger he threw at the myrmidon from the floor. He's only vaguely aware of Vaike laughing and boasting as the man finishes cutting down his own foes and being healed up by Maribelle.

"Wyverns incoming!" Sully barks in warning. Robin's eyes snap to the sky, and can see the dozen or so fliers charging at them. The Plegian ground troops break out into a charge as well, clearly intending to overwhelm the Shepherds with numbers.

"It's almost laughable…" Robin murmurs to himself. Again, he presses down on the crystals in the middle of his daggers. This time they glow a bright yellow, and the blades visible spark with electricity. The servant wastes no time in launching them at the oncoming forces, and smiles widely at what he knows is to come.

The daggers impact two targets: a dark mage and a generic soldier. The electricity takes over from there and jumps to nearby individuals one after another and electrocutes each person as the lightning courses through their system.

Chain lightning, very useful. A fireball probably would have worked just as well but Robin enjoys a bit of variety.

The Shepherds make short work of the ground forces, but not short enough to take them all out before the wyverns descend upon them. Robin throws one dagger at the fliers, this one with a green crystal that lets loose a burst of air that sends some wyverns into a temporary tumble which makes them easy targets for Virion as they try to recover.

"That one's going to be a pain to find." Robin huffs as he watches his dagger fall somewhere in the grass up the hill. "Oh well…"

He only has one dagger left until these wyverns are dealt with. How troublesome.

Forced into melee, Robin is still quite deadly. The only problem is that he can't use any of his magic. His powers are potent, but he only has four shots unless he can pick the daggers back up. He can duck, weave, and strike like a snake, but he's not at his best here.

So, when he gets slashed in the shoulder by a lucky myrmidon, he doesn't push his luck and retreats to the back of the group until this specific combat is over. After all the wyverns are dealt with he scoops up two of his daggers from the ground, and when they eventually overtake the spot he saw his other dagger fall he lags behind for a minute to locate it.

"That was close… perhaps next time I should be more cautious about throwing you out at random." Robin murmurs as he pockets the weapon.

Orton falls without much issue. Without his fellow wyvern riders around him, he's a giant target that Virion, Miriel, and Ricken can shoot down with ease.

###

"I assure you, it's only a scratch your Grace." Robin hums.

"It was foolish of you to join the battle." Emmeryn scolds. "You know you are not suited for open combat."

"Ah, but it is my _duty_ to protect the royal family." Robin says. His smile is unflinching through Emmeryn healing his wound despite the pain he must be in. "That is what I live for my lady."

"I wish it was not." The Exalt admits. "Robin, you _must_ have a life outside of us. You are valuable as well."

Robin's smile widens further to the point that Emmeryn worries his face is going to break. "Aha, if only that were true your Highness. I was reforged to serve, and serve I must. I have no other purpose."

"Forged?" Emmeryn asks in alarm. "Come again?"

"Come now your Grace, I am a Plegain servant of the Ylissian royal family, but I have special magic weapons, am a skilled bodyguard and assassin, and don't need to sleep. I thought it very obvious that I'm not human." He chuckles. "You are familiar with your father's experiments, yes? Those poor, insane, tortured individuals in the secret prison level that you've been trying to fix? I thought it fairly obvious I was one of the successes… the _only_ success."

Emmeryn swallows thickly. "Why did you never tell us?"

"Again, I thought it was obvious." Robin shrugs. "But you must understand your Grace, I _cannot_ have a purpose higher than serving the royal family. The enchantments your father implanted in me do not allow for it. This is my life."

"You had a life before this, yes?"

"Supposedly. I was far too young to remember." The man says. His constant smile is now more unnerving than ever. "Come now your Grace, why so serious? There's nothing to be done about it. Just smile and forget, it makes things a lot easier!"

A chill runs down the Exalt's spine. "I do not think I can Robin."

"As you wish my lady." Robin hums. "I do hate to see you frown though."

The Exalt can't help but wonder how much of that empathy is genuine, and how much is just the spells on him forcing certain emotions.

###

"Good morning your Highness!"

"Good morning Robin…" Emmeryn yawns. "How was the night?"

"It was fine." The man says. "I read another one of your books."

"Ah, which one?"

"Death of the Author. It was very philosophic." Robin hums. "It went a bit over my head to be honest."

"Ah, Barthes is speaking about the nature of critique." Emmeryn explains. "His views are a useful tool."

"I see…"

"What is on my schedule today?"

"Surprisingly, you are free for the morning." Robin chirps. "What do you wish to do your Highness?"

"Are my siblings similarly unoccu-" She stops mid-sentence. "Ah, right. They are on a mission."

Robin patiently waits for her to gather her thoughts.

"Robin?"

"Yes my Lady?"

"Would you care to join me for breakfast? I am thinking a restaurant would do for today. It has been so long since I have been to Sophia's."

"I would be honored your Grace." Robin says with a bow.

* * *

 **This was a weird chapter and I didn't integrate everything very well, but I like the concept. To be honest I had no idea what I was going to do with stalker nor servant, so I just mashed them together here as an experiment. Sleepless was thrown in just for creepy factor. I've had several ideas for sleepless (some of which I might throw in Varied Awakenings at some point), but none were particularly special so I don't feel too bad about using it here.**

 **Also, totally ended this at a weird spot, but I had no idea where I was going. So, uh… yeah.**

* * *

 **omegazeroinfi** **:** That was the idea! There were a few things here and there that I think could have done better, but overall I'm happy with how it turned out and what was left to the imagination. I would have liked a bit more buildup to summoning Robin, but the chapter was already stupidly long.

 **UmiNight Angel Neko** **:** I actually never gave thought to what happened in the future. It would make sense if Robin was the reasons the second generation could hold out so long against Grima I suppose.

 **bwburke94** **:** Yep… it took a long time to make, but it was totally worth it.

 **bauers374** **:** Noted.

 **Artyom-Dreizehn** **:** If I made full stories I couldn't make all these one-shots. Don't get me wrong, I would _love_ to make some full stories, but I only have so much time in my life and a there are a lot of ideas to get to.

 **Darkness is complete** **:** Sure.

 **Yeet** **:** Nope. Emmet's been around for a while too.

Seventeen kids and their guardian actually. The guardian is the person who died after closing the portal. I'm counting both Morgans, so three OCs that everyone has yet to be introduced to in any chapter.

Hammerspace Robin huh. Got it.

 **XenoEmblem4TW** **:** I was considering backlash, but Robin is a good guy. Also yes, Reflet is male Robin and the hierophant.

 **WolfBlade1996** **:** Glad you liked it! I got to exercise some (metaphorical) muscles I don't usually don't get to because of the length Anna Robin is an interesting one… I'll see about it.

 **Guest** **:** I mean, I might apply some quirks to him in Varied Awakenings, but on his own, no. I don't have that sort of time.

 **TreeOfAnonymity** **:** I can see what you mean. Though Robin is a bit less morally grey than Pink Diamond.

 **Mr. Martin** **:** More epilogues won't be coming for a while unfortunately.

I inspired a story? Joy! I always hoped to do something of the sort. What's it about? Is it a Fire Emblem Story? Original?

 **Sprocket2** **:** Yeah… but I was sorta at the end of my rope for that story. I actually have no idea what I'd do if I went on any further.

 **Lena** **:** Right… I'll put that down, but that's going under Varied Awakenings suggestions.

 **Lobotimite** **:** Puppet Robin… oooh, I like…

Broken Robin I like a lot too

Hmm… don't know the name for that. I'll just call it "Hallucination Robin"

Mother Nature? No idea what I'll do with that, but sure.

Also yeah, Split Personality is has already been done.

 **Cyberchao X** **:** I _did_ consider no romance for a while, but nah… romance (even if I don't write it directly in the chapter) is too fun.

 **TegamiBachi25** **:** I don't take pairing suggestions (for this collection anyways), sorry.

All your ideas are fine. Some more likely than others (stripper may be… difficult…) but they're all fine.


	52. Banshee Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **Minor: Dark Flier, Immortal, Boxer (Pugilist), Exploitive, Swordmaster, Angry Cinnamon Roll, Tripping, Perpetual Cheer, Chef, Blacksmith, Pegasus Knight, Teacher, Librarian, Masochist, Literal-Minded, Authoritative, Middle Age, Wyvern Rider, Phobia, Thicc, Tsundere, Damsel in Distress, Gangrel's Child, Wyvern Rider, Child, Communist, Bomber, Bear Cavalry, Flying, ADHD, Super Strength, Patriotic, Martial Artist, Scottish, Sassy, One Liner, Seamstress, Shephard.**

 **Standard: Elemental, Deaf, Foreign, Future sight, Nurse/Medic, Valmese Tactician, Medusa, Amazon, Genderfluid, Gift from Validar + evil to good, Mind Control, Mimic, Emotionless, Crippling Overspecialization (Idiot Savant), Coward, ESP, POW, PTSD, Magician, Mute, Handicapped, Secret Helper, Crazy, Morpher, Dreamwalker, Motherly, Twins, Regenerating, Animal Whisperer, Naga/Tiki Assistant, Deadly Touch, Mind Reader, Doppelganger, Arachne, D &D magic, Umbramancer, Horror Monster, Detective, Dominatrix, Songstress, Kinky, Matchmaker, Androphobic, Fashion Designer, Illusionist, Attraction Aura, Ring Maker, Therapist, Teleporting, Crippled, Puppet, Broken, Hallucination, Depressed.**

 **Unlikely: Chrom's child, Minotaur, Paladin, Werewolf, Assassin, Future Soldier, Bounty Hunter, Weather control, Kleptomaniac, Druid, Steampunk, Shadow Familiar, Magic Augmentation, Lucky, Exile, Piper (Charmer), Gladiator, Witch Doctor, Centaur, Drunk, Demon, Punk, Harpy, Revenant, Luck Manipulation, Demon Summoner, Megalomaniac, Kitsune, King of Plegia, Mood Ring, Reverse Aging, Hammerspace, Prostitute, Demon Hunter, Cyborg, Maid/Servant/Butler, Deadlord, Rebellion, Einherjar, Trap, Yandere, Living Weapon, Size Shifter, Queen of Plegia, Gluttonous, Stretchy, Ninja, Alchemist, Protoss, Spirit Manipulation, Invisible, Plegian Honor Guard, Mecha, Kryptonian, Creator, Orc, Memory Stealing Respawn, Racer, Khan, Misfortune, Vampire Hunter, Geokinetic, Imaginary Actualization, Death, Resurrection, Force, Merchant, Background Music, Variable, Civilian, Natural Disaster, Mental Noise Projection, Hidden OP, Summoner, Cyclops, Teleporter, Cryokinetic, Genie, Judge, Intangibility, Fortune Teller, Future Vision, Serial Killer, Pervert, Magic Fixit, Drakengard Restoration, Ying-Yang, Childhood Friend, Cyberpunk, Chrom's Mother, Obsessed, Berserker, Phase Shift, Gravity Manipulation, Hallucinating, Bladesoul, Zombie, Double Entendre, Shared Body/Two Souls, Cannibal, Singer, Violent, Insane, Waterbender, Casanova, Cupid, Undertaker, Master Thief, Guard, Faceless, Shadow, Age Control, Cradle Snatcher, Emo, Singer, Nun, Courier, Haunted Knight Armor, Egyptian, Sentient Object, Shit Lord, Court Wizard, Naga's sibling, Mad Queen, Artist, Predator, Cheshire Cat, Radio Host, Chimera, Wendigo, Witch, Symbiote, Hivemind, Hammerspace, Anna, Mother Nature, Psychopath, Stripper, Painting, Grima Parts, Knightmare.**

 **Other: Self-insert, Second Generation replacement, Dimensional Walker, Cycle, Fates.**

 **Banshee Robin, as suggested by a Guest.**

* * *

Donnel swallows thickly as he watches the figure out of the corner of his eye. It's dark outside, being well past dusk, but he heard one of the cows making noise so he came out to investigate. He was expecting maybe a wolf or two that he'd have to chase off with a pitchfork, but instead he found nothing in the farm at all. The thing that bothered the cow was something it saw in the woods… and that's still there no less.

The figure is tall; even from this distance Donnel can tell they're probably twice his height. They wear a long, tattered grey dress that drags in the grass and a dark cloak overtop of it. Even from here, easily a mile away, Donnel can hear the figure's keening. The hair on his arms and the back of his neck stand up on end while hearing it.

Folktales and myths are nothing new to Donnel. He's always hearing something from someone about spirit mischief causing this or that, or a monster killing livestock in the dead of night, or one of the lumberjacks or hunters being certain they saw this mythical thing in the woods.

He never really believed most of those tales though. They always sounded so fantastical that Donnel dismissed them. Sure, they live in a world of dragons, taguel, and demi-humans, but the odds of someone in this sleepy village finding a mythical creature in the woods is absurdly unlikely… but Donnel can't exactly discount something he can see with his own eyes and hear with his own ears.

" _Gosh, what do I do? Do I talk to 'em? Do I just leave 'em? Is it a ghost?_ " Donnel thinks to himself as he watches the figure glide slowly through the woods. " _If I don't, will someone else? The others won't be so nice… but what if this thing ain't nice either? If I try to talk to it, I might get killed!_ "

The boy shakes his head vigorously.

" _No, I can't go assumin' bad stuff about others. Even if that 'other' is a spirit or monster or somethin'. Spirits hang 'round when they have unfinished business, yeah? So if I go have a chat, maybe I can see what's wrong and help 'em_."

That's what Donnel tell himself as he quietly approaches, but really he doesn't feel confident at all. He's shaking like a leaf while clutching his pitchfork for security. Does metal even work against spirits? Is it even somethin' he can hurt if he needs to?

" _Naga give me strength. Please don't let this be the death o' me._ " Donnel swallows thickly again. He's walked up until he's only a few feet behind the figure. Either they haven't noticed him, or they don't care. Their keening is loud in his ears, and the primal part of his brain is screaming at him to get _away_ from this thing. He was right about them being tall. This figure is easily eight feet. They _look_ solid, but Donnel can't be sure. This is a ghost, right? "U-U-Uh, p-pardon me yer ghostlyness."

The keening stops abruptly, and the figure stops in place. There's a long pause, and Donnel doesn't know what to do. Is it expecting him to keep talking? Why isn't it turning around? Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

"W-W-Well I-I couldn't help b-but notice ya glidin' 'round mah farm. S-Sorta spookin' our cows." Donnel stammers. "S-So, uh, I'd appreciate if ya _d-didn't_ do that. If ya need h-help with somethin' I'm happy to l-lend a hand, but if ya would p-please not scare the animals I'd appreciate it."

The figure slowly starts to turn around. Donnel fights the urge to put his pitchfork between the two of them. He shouldn't threaten them, he doesn't want a fight here.

The spirit is a gaunt and thin woman. Her skin is pale like the moon, but drawn tight over her bones like a famine victim. Her eyes are sunken into her face and hidden by her eyebrow ridge, which casts them into deep shadow. Her arms (and indeed her entire body) are incredibly skinny, and seem to lack muscle entirely. Her fingers are almost skeletal and unnaturally long. Her dress mostly covers her body, but it's clear from how it hangs off her form that she's completely emancipated. The cloak makes her look wider than she actually is, because it's clear on seeing her from the front that she's absurdly skinny.

The lady looms over Donnel, staring down at him with hidden eyes. The boy quails under her gaze while still fighting the urge to run. He's starting to have major second thoughts. What in Naga's name was he thinking!?

"They're gone…" The lady whispers. Her voice has a strange echo, and it sounds like wind.

"Who?" Donnel asks cautiously.

The lady raises her eyes to the moon, and her hood falls off to reveal stringy silver hair that falls all the way down to the grass. "All of them…"

"Right." Well that's not very helpful.

"They always leave…" The lady murmurs. "I miss them..."

"I dunno who yer talkin' about." Donnel says apologetically. "But I'm sorry."

The lady's gaze comes down from the moon to rest on him again. Her eyes, formerly hidden by the shadows over her eyes, are now slightly visible with the light of the moon. They're a blue so light it almost looks like white. "You… have lost someone."

"Yeah, I have." The farm boy sighs. "My pa. Bandit raid took 'im out a few years ago. Now I gotta take care o' the farm mostly on my own. Ma helps when she can, but her back ain't what it used to be…"

"I... have lost many…" The lady murmurs. "Fathers, mothers, wives, husbands, sons, daughters… all of them I have lost… _hundreds_ of times."

"Golly, you've been married that many times?" Donnel blinks in shock.

The lady pauses, and an expression that might be a sad smile flickers across her face for a moment. "No… I feel the losses of others… I feel _your_ loss as well…"

"Ah, well…" Donnel sighs. "I've sorta gotten used to it by now. Ain't ever gonna forget, but… no sense dwellin', yeah?"

The lady hums quietly. "I cannot forget… nor can I stop thinking on the deaths I feel... it is my fate…"

"Because yer a ghost?"

"Ghost…?" The lady's head tilts. "No… _banshee_ …"

"Oh." Well that's much more terrifying. "Like the "wail an' people die" sorta banshee?"

"Yes." The lady blinks. "Unless… there is another sort… of which I am unaware…"

"Right." Maybe he should just ignore the fact that this lady could kill him easily just by _yelling_. After all, if she wanted him dead he'd be dead right now, wouldn't he? "Well, even if it is yer fate, why do ya gotta walk around all spooky like at night?"

"Others… do not enjoy my presence…" The lady whispers. "And I… am not a _person_ …"

"That's crazy talk. You have ta be a person. We're chattin' right now, yeah?"

"You misunderstand… I have no _identity_ …" The lady continues. Her eyes again move to the moon. "I was born… on the death of a lady... and her child… _runaways_ … from a madman…"

She pauses and a soft keening noise escapes her throat. It still causes Donne's hair to stand on end, but it's not as terrifying anymore now that he knows what, or _who_ , it comes from.

"I am an… _amalgamation_ … of memories…" She whispers. "I have no name… no home… but… I _experience_ … the memories of others… when they die…"

Donnel scratches his head. This is a bit much for him to grasp, but he thinks he gets the general idea. "You've lived a hundred lives, but none o' them are yer own?"

"Precisely…"

"Well that's an easy fix." Donnel says brightly. "Ya just gotta stop mopin' 'round the edge o' town and get involved with somethin'. Get yerself a friend, or somethin' to do, and then yah got somethin' to yerself instead o' just those memories, yeah?"

There's a long pause as the two of them stare at each other. Then the banshee says. "I… never considered that."

###

"Donnel, dear."

"Yeah Ma?"

"I know I said I wanted ya to make friends, but… who _is_ she? _What_ is she?" The boy's mother whispers.

The two of them are standing just inside the kitchen, while the banshee is at the table staring down at her plate of food with curiosity. Donnel isn't sure she's ever eaten before, though he's also not sure she actually has to either.

"She don't got a name yet, an' she's a banshee." Donnel says as calmly as possible. "She's friendly Ma, just a bit… uh... _lost_."

"Okay…" His Mother coughs. "And she won't cause trouble? She won't…"

"...kill anyone? Ma, she's a _person_ , not a maniac."

"Alright, alright." The woman sighs. She clearly isn't comfortable about this, but she'll give her son, and this lady, the benefit of the doubt. "I'm trustin' _you_ to keep an eye on her then, alright?"

"O' course!"

"An' keep her out o' sight of everyone else. They ain't gonna take nicely to some spirit o' death walkin' 'round town."

###

Donnel isn't sure if it's the food or just the fact that she's not moping all the time, but the banshee is looking a lot less like a famine victim now. Her skin is no longer pulled tightly over her bones, and she has some actual definition to her arms and fingers now. She's not just a skeleton with skin pulled over it anymore. There are still a few noticeable differences from a human though. She's still absurdly tall, her voice still has an echo, and her fingers are still unnaturally long.

But, if Donnel can be completely honest, he thinks she'll be quite the looker when she's healthy… assuming this has something to do with health at all. He really doesn't think she _has_ to eat or drink. For all he knows it's actually just the fact that she's not depressed all the time that's causing physical changes.

Also, the banshee has decided on a name for herself (seeing as she didn't have one before). She's decided to call herself "Robin", named both after the birds that regularly roost in the trees around Donnel's house, but also for the name of the child that was one of those first two people she received the memories of.

Donnel is just happy she _has_ a name, because calling her "Miss" all the time felt weird.

Robin doesn't do a whole lot during the day. She absently wanders the farm, sometimes following Donnel, but other times she'll find somewhere dark and just sit there while staring at the sky.

Sometimes she talks. She repeats conversations from the memories of the people she's copied, and the ones she chooses are usually rather tragic. By the time a week has passed, Donnel has heard her speak at least a dozen tearful conversations between people begging the other not to die, to just hang on a moment longer, that the doctor or cleric is on their way…

Donnel only asked for context once, and Robin told him in a whisper that the cleric was too late, or else she would remember more. The boy didn't ask again after that.

Not everything about Robin is depressing though. Due to all the memories she has, she's incredibly smart and skilled in dozens of different disciplines, as well as being a walking encyclopedia. Donnel only has to ask, and Robin can usually tell him exactly how to handle any given problem be it crop blight, animal sickness, pest control, optimal crop rotation… really anything, and it doesn't have to be farming. She informed him with no uncertainty that she could accurately appraise a gem, do a blacksmithing project, or recite (and use) several mathematical and scientific formulas if she felt like it.

Robin spends a few peaceful months with them. She starts to help with the farming and does little repairs here and there. Her health continues to improve, and she spends less and less time dwelling on the numerous deaths that make up her memories.

Near the start of the fourth month though, Donnel's life has another drastic change.

The day starts normally. Donnel gets up, has breakfast with his mother and Robin, and then goes out to do work. He tends to the animals first, giving them food and water and making sure none of them are missing, and then checks the garden for any new signs of pests before going down to the river to fetch water.

It was on his way back up that he knew something was wrong, because he suddenly heard Robin's tell-tale keening. That's a noise he hasn't heard in _months_ , since they first met. Donnel rushes up the incline to see what the problem is, and then stops cold at seeing a man in dirty rags with an axe stomping around their farm, trying to get at Robin.

At first it looks like Robin isn't going to put up a fight. Her moans sends chills down Donnel's spine, and he can see the brigand is equally unnerved. She doesn't even seem to be _looking_ at the man when he charges her… but apparently she _was_ paying attention because when the man gets within five strides of Robin her mouth opens incredibly wide to the point she could easily fit a man's head inside, and she raises her hands and her fingernails seem to sharpen at the tips.

The bandit doesn't even get a hit in. He swings, misses, and then Robin slashes him with one of her claws and he falls to the ground gurgling on his own blood from a slit throat. Robin looms over the suffocating man, one hand dripping with blood, and then gives him another slash to the head for good measure.

Robin pauses for a second and sways in place. A low moan exits her mouth a moment later, and then she's back to moving.

Donnel wonders if he just saw Robin receiving new memories of the bandit she killed. He doesn't have time to dwell on it though, because Robin is moving into the village and Donnel needs to stop her.

But he can't. Robin is apparently _very_ fast when agitated, because she's out onto the street before he's even able to call out to her. She glances to the left, lets out a horrific screeching noise, and lunges at something Donnel can't see.

Several brigands rush past the house towards Robin, and Donnel realizes he can't go after her. He'll get killed. The only thing he can do is go get help. Donnel grabs the pitchfork from the side of his house, then breaks into to run towards the forest. He circles around the the forest's edge, looking in horror at the fire sprouting from his village.

" _Oh lordy, I don't know I'm gonna be able to get help in time._ " Donnel worries as he reaches the main road. " _How far 'way is the castle?_ _How far am I gonna have ta run?_ "

As it turns out, not very far. Only a few minutes down the road he finds a small group of armored soldiers, and the leader of them looks like the prince!

"Yer Lordship, yer Lordship!" Donnel cries out at the man. "Trouble ahead! Please yer Lordship! Mah village!"

"Slow down, what's going on?"

"Bandits Milord! They attacked mah village! Yah gotta help!"

"Of course we will." The blue-haired man says firmly. "Lead the way… uh..

"Donnel miord."

"Lead the way Donnel, the Shepherds will help you."

###

"'ere it is yer Lordship." Donnel says nervously when his burning village comes into sight. "Only got attacked a few minutes ago."

"Alright." Chrom nods seriously. "Stay close Donnel."

"What? I-I can't fight milord!"

"Oh? Sorry, I assumed…. Nevermind. You can stay here, and we'll come back to get you when it's over."

"I mean… I _want_ to fight Milord, I jus' never have…"

"Warriors aren't born Donnel. They're made. And while practice would be nice, nothing teaches fighting skills like actual combat. Besides, I think you'll find your pitchfork can spike bandits just as well as it does wheat."

Donnel takes a deep breath, and then nods. "Alright. I'm comin' in with ya yer Lordship."

The Shepherds charge into the village with Frederick, Sully, and Stahl leading. Donnel sticks close to Chrom, and lets the prince charge in first before he attacks with his pitchfork.

His first kill leaves him feeling a bit sick to the stomach. The brigand gasps and fails to speak through punctured lungs due to Donne having stabbed him through the ribs. The sick feeling fades quickly when he remembers that these are much like the bandits that killed his father, and anger becomes his primary emotion.

Then, an ear-piercing wail breaks the air. Donnel's vision goes blurry, and his head rings with pain. All the other Shepherds seem to experience something similar, and the surrounding bandits also clutch their ears in pain.

"What in Naga's name was that!?" Chrom asks when his head is no longer ringing.

"That." Donnel groans against the pain. "Was probably Robin."

"Who?"

"Robin! A friend o' mine. She's a banshee."

"A _banshee_?" Chrom says in disbelief. "Naga above, we need to hurry before she wails again. We don't want her killing someone innocent."

As much as Donnel would like to say Robin wouldn't do that, he doesn't know how cautious she is about when she wails. After all, he's never seen her fight before.

Finding Robin doesn't prove too difficult. The line of brigand corpses with slashed throats is an easy trail to follow, and the dozen or so bodies with no visible cause of death all in one area is a likely candidate for the sight of her wail. Robin herself is found one street away, slashing through whatever bandit is unfortunate enough to cross her path. Her long fingers are soaked with blood, as is her dress and even her _mouth._ Donnel watches as one bandit survives a claw to the chest, only for Robin to follow up by piercing his throat with sharp teeth.

"Robin!" Donnel shouts as loud as he can. "O'er here!"

The lady whirls around, hissing like an angered snake, but she stops upon seeing who it is.

"Ya gotta be careful 'bout wailin' like that Robin. Might hurt some people who don't deserve it, yeah?"

"I _was_ … careful." Robin murmurs. She eyes Chrom warily. "Everyone was taken… only bandits there. Not expecting… _help?_ "

"Yeah, these are the Shepherds. They're here to help."

"I see…" Robin says. "Hurry then… they're kept.. at the church…"

"How do you know?" Chrom asks sharply.

"Memories… of their plan." Robin explains quickly.

Chrom looks to Donnel for clarification, and the boy says "She gets the memories of anyone who dies near here, so she knows what their plan is 'cause a bunch of 'em died around her."

"I see." Chrom murmurs. "How useful."

The bandits, now very few in number, break and run when they see the Shepherds approaching. The mounted Shepherds break off from the group to chase them down, and Robin also puts on a sudden burst of speed to chase down a bandit. She doesn't _run_ , she glides a few inches above the ground like you'd expect of a ghost.

The Shepherds let everyone out of the church and start to help put out fires, take stock of the losses, save what can be saved, and help rebuild. Many of the villages do a double-take at seeing a tall, blood-stained banshee staring down at them and nervously path around her when moving back to their respective abodes.

"Donney!" The boy's mother rushes out of the church. "Thank the gods your safe! Thank you Milord for savin' my boy… Donny, be polite! Take a knee and thank his Highness!"

"Uh, thank ya Milord." Donnel says, and bows stiffly. "Yah really saved our hides."

"You did plenty yourself Donnel." Chrom chuckles. "Hone your skills, and you can protect your village in the future."

"Uh…" Donnel musturs up some courage, and shoots a furtive glance at Robin. "I have a request. I… I want to be a Shepherd! I-If it pleases yer Lordship o' course."

"Hush fool boy." His mother says sharply. "Sorry Milord, I don't know where he got such-"

"Actually." Chrom interrupts, "we'd be thrilled to have him. We can always use able-bodied men, and your son fought bravely."

"I… well, I suppose you are grown now Donny, you can make yer own decisions." The woman sighs. "It's your choice, but what 'bout Robin? _You_ are the one takin' care o' her."

"Well, I was sorta thinkin' Rob could come with me. The village ain't no place for her, cooped up in our house like she is." Donnel says tentatively. "An' she's smart, right? She got the memories o' a hundred people, so she can almos' certainly put those smarts to use, right?"

"Are you expectin' a creature o' myth to get a _job_?" His mother asks in disbelief.

"I mean… yeah?" Donnel says weakly. "Robin, what are you thinkin'?"

"I would… not mind joining you." Robin murmurs. "If… the prince will have me."

Chrom is tempted to deny her, on account that she's a terrifying creature capable of killing dozens of people by _yelling_ , but he realizes how petty that would be and how much of a potential advantage Robin presents.

Also, Emmeryn would probably like to meet Robin. She likes to talk to any many different people as she can to "see all perspectives", and Chrom doesn't think she's talked to a banshee yet.

"Of course. Your skills are most welcome." Chrom says with a nod.

###

"Wh-What!?" Donnel shrieks. He's grown rather pale. "Y-Yer kiddin' me, right?"

"Of course not. Emm likes to meet _everyone_ who joins the Shepherds." Lissa laughs. "That includes you."

"Oh Naga…"

Donnel frets the entire way to the castle. Robin is coming with them, which makes him feel a bit better, but he's still on the verge of panic. The banshee doesn't seem nearly as phased by this; she's looking around the halls as they walk through with curiosity. All the servants they pass give Robin wide berth. They're clearly terrified of the lady.

They arrive at the reception area of a meeting room, and Lissa steps in to alert her sister. Donnel is sweating. This all seems very formal, is he under-dressed? He didn't have time to prepare! What is he supposed to say?

A hand sets down on the boy's head, and long fingers tangle in his hair. He glances up and meets Robin's eyes.

"I will… protect you." She says calmly. "I have no qualms… about killing her."

That is _not at all_ what Donnel was worried about. "Thank ya Robin, but that ain't what I'm worried about. I'm more worried 'bout makin' a fool o' myself."

"It is unlikely… she will care." Robin murmurs. "A nice lady… if the memories… are accurate."

"You jus' said you'd kill her, but she's a nice lady?" Donnel asks. "That seems a bit… what's that word…? Contradictory?"

"Not so… I know my… _priorities_." Robin murmurs. "I do not wish… her harm… but I _will_ … I need be."

"Oh, uh, thanks." Donnel feels a bit embarrassed about that actually. He knows Robin has a certain fondness for him, but it's another thing to hear that she's willing to do something so drastic for his sake. "Erm… do I look alright? I got my clothes on straight an' everythin'?"

"Yes." The lady says calmly. "Should I have… dressed differently?"

Donnel pauses. Robin is wearing the usual dress and cloak (new _clean_ ones though, and with a shorter dress so it doesn't drag along the floor) so… "ya look nice as always Robin. I don't see no problem."

"Good…"

"Hey, you two!" Lissa calls as she opens the door. "You can come in now."

Donnel takes a deep, calming breath. "Okay… I can do this."

The two of them step inside the room. Any confidence Donnel had immediately takes a hit upon seeing the Exalt gazing down at him from a chair around the small table.

Objectively speaking there's nothing intimidating about Emmeryn. She took pains to _avoid_ being intimidating. That's why they aren't meeting in the throne room or her personal quarters, and why she doesn't have as nearly many layers on as she would for a formal event. She's even gone without her usual headpiece.

The only thing she can't stop is her position, and unfortunately that alone are enough to scare a _lot_ of people, like Donnel.

"You are Donnel and Robin, yes?" The Exalt murmurs when the two enter. She rises from her seat, and bows to them. "I am Emmeryn, it is a pleasure to meet you."

"H-Hello yer Gracefulness." Donnel stammers. He bows stiffly and quickly in return. "I-I-It's an h-honor to meet ya."

"Indeed…" Robin murmurs. She doesn't bow, though she does nod her head in acknowledgement. "Greetings."

"Please, would you sit with me?" Emmeryn asks, gesturing to the other chairs around the table.

Donnel and Robin sit. Even when sitting, Robin towers over the two humans at the table. Donnel sits with his hands clenched tightly in his lap while Robin rests the tips of her long fingers on the table. The banshee's eyes are locked, unblinking, on the lady sitting across from her.

"My brother has a tendency to recruit all sorts of different people. Different skills, different occupations, different social classes… and now different species." Emmeryn murmurs as she pours some tea. She meets eyes with Robin for a moment, and notes the intense stare the banshee is giving her. "While my brother has told me of you, I would hear your stories from your own mouths."

Donnel stammers out an explanation of his life on the farm, the death of his father, finding Robin in the woods, and the battle involving the Shepherds. It's quick and bare-bones, and his borderline panic is obvious.

Robin's story is much shorter and to the point. She doesn't share much detail at all, just saying that she was 'born' upon the deaths of a woman and her child fleeing a madman, and wandered at random in a mournful haze for numerous years while absorbing the memories of those who died near her until she encountered Donnel.

"Intriguing." Emmeryn murmurs. "You say you absorb the memories of others? Does that mean you are competent in a wide range of skills?"

"Yes… I also have… much knowledge…"

"Fascinating." Emmeryn says with bright eyes. "There is another Shepherd who would love to speak with you I believe. Miriel is enamored with the acquisition of knowledge… though admittedly she will be equally fascinated to study you as a banshee, so I would take caution to establish borders as she can be a bit _intrusive_ in her pursuits."

"I see…" Robin mutters. "I will… _consider_ speaking with her."

"That is all I ask." Emmeryn nods. "Also, is there any special accommodations you will require? I'll admit we've never had a banshee in our employ before, so I'm afraid we're ill prepared for such a thing."

"Not that... I am aware." Robin murmurs. She doesn't need to sleep, so accomodations for her in the Shepherds really are simple. She doesn't even need a bedroll. "A question… though."

"Please, ask whatever you wish."

"I seem to… _frighten_ people." Robin murmurs. "Should I avoid… being seen?"

"Ah." Emmeryn grimaces. "Ylisse has long been a rather xenophobic and racist place. It is only with my installation on the throne that proper equality has been established. However, people are slow to change their opinions. Such a process may take decades or centuries." The Exalt sighs. "I suppose what I'm saying is: you are welcome to do as you wish, you need not avoid being seen, but do know that many people will not be as pleasant as Donnel or myself."

"Understood." Robin murmurs.

The three of them fall silent for a moment as they each take a drink or a cookie from the table in front of them. Robin doesn't bother with the handle on her cup, it's difficult to get her long fingers through the handle hole.

"Uh, yer Graceliness, I got a question." Donnel says hesitantly. "Yer real busy, right? How's it that you got time for this? N-Not that I ain't happy to see ya, but it seems… strange."

"In truth, I _don't_ have time for this." Emmeryn laughs softly. "There are dozens of things I could and probably _should_ be doing at this very moment… but such is the life of a ruler. If I were to always put off personal desires because I have something else to do, I'd never do anything _but_ work."

"An' that ain't no way to live."

"Precisely."

###

"Wh-What are these things?" Donnel squawks and shakily raises his bronze spear. "Z-Zombies?"

"Ya skip around with a banshee at your hip all day, and you're afraid of a few zombies?" Vaike laughs. He gives a few test swings of his axe. "These things are gonna be a pushover. Lookit how slow they are!"

"Don't underestimate them." Chrom warns. "I've run into them before. They are not so simple and passive as they appear."

"If you say so Chrom." Vaike chuckles. It's very obvious that he doesn't believe Chrom, but the Prince knows Vaike will see what he means soon enough so he doesn't push the issue.

"They whisper…" Robin says softly. "I must… I must… I must… they say."

"You can understand them?" Donnel whispers.

"They speak… _strangely_ …" The banshee frowns. "Undead… but no soul… only the brain… controlled and puppeted… but not the same people."

"The brain is reanimated, but there is no soul?" Miriel asks. "How curious. What is controlling them?"

"The masks…" Robin hisses. She starts to float above the ground, and her fingernails have turned to claws. Her jaw is starting to unhinge again, stretching further than it should. "They control the brain… which controls the body…"

"A form of galvanism." Miriel murmurs. "Incredible. If I could find a way to obtain one of those masks, I could learn so much…"

"Killing these things must come first." Chrom says, vetoing that idea for now. "Everyone form up, as we discussed!"

The Shepherds march on the disorganized Risen a moment later. Donnel is just behind the front line with Robin flying over his head. When the front lines meet, Donnel strikes from behind Kellam by snaking his lance around the side of the man's shield.

Robin, on the other hand, dives right into the thick of combat with a loud screeching battle cry. Her claws rend the leather armor of the Risen easily, and her ability to fly makes her deceptively hard to hit thanks to the Risen lacking ranged weapons.

The few hits that the Risen do land on Robin don't do much. Donnel doesn't know if she has some sort of resistance or if she just doesn't feel the pain, because he knows she doesn't have any armor on under that dress and cloak.

Or, at least, he doesn't _think_ she does. It's not like he's asked or checked.

The end result is the Shepherd's victory. The Risen are far from harmless, but they are stupid and predictable to the point that even Donnel can take on one by himself and survive relatively uninjured.

Robin isn't bathed in blood this time thanks in no small part to the fact that Risen don't _have_ blood. She does give the other Shepherds pause at the end of the battle when they see her hissing above their heads with her claws still out and her faw fully unhinged showing off razor-sharp teeth. It's something they sorta didn't notice when they were rushing into battle.

"Who boy, so this is what Shepherdin' is like." Donnel mumbles. "Not what I expected tah be honest."

"First time I've dealt with these things too." Kellam offers. "Usually we deal with bandits, not undead. These things only popped up recently."

"I have no... memories of these." Robin mutters. "New… or at least… _rare_."

"Rare before, common now." Chrom corrects. He overheard this talk. "There are reports in from all over the country about Risen. They're an epidemic, and we have no idea where they came from."

"Well that's just swell…" Donnel mutters nervously. "Zombies all 'round."

A hand settles on his head. From the long fingers, it's obvious to Donnel that it's Robin. "I will… _protect_ you."

"Aww, that ain't fair Robin! Yah can't make this a one way thing! I'm gonna be a warrior me'self ya know!" Donnel protests. He pouts up at the banshee. "I'mma protect you too ya know!"

The lady sports an amused smile, one that makes it unclear if she actually believes Donnel or if she just finds his declaration cute. "I see… so be it."

* * *

 **Hmm…**

 **This would have been a lot different if I used Chrom instead of Donnel. Starting this chapter was really difficult, I rewrote it at least five times.**

 **I think this Robin has a lot of potential thanks to having the memories of everyone who dies around her. There's a** _ **lot**_ **of story potential there. That, incidentally, is where her tactical knowledge would have come from. I can also totally see Robin being a sort of funeral speaker for those who die near her. Think of it, she knows a person's every thought: their achievements, their secrets, desires, failures, unattained goals…** _ **everything**_ **. Not a eulogy so to speak, but a brutally accurate summation of** _ **who that person was**_ **. There's this book called "Speaker for the Dead" by Orson Scott Card which was a large inspiration for the idea of Banshee Robin that I didn't explore too much here because a lot of set-up was needed in this chapter.**

 **So yeah, there is a lot behind the hood of this chapter despite it being a rather generic entry in this collection. I'll also admit I mangled the idea of what a banshee is in here. Usually Banshees are heralds of death for whoever hears them on an otherwise silent night. Specifically, they signal the death of someone close to the hearer. I chose to change that aspect, but still keep the association with death (hence the whole memory-obtaining thing).**

* * *

 **bauers374** **:** I'm afraid the reference is over my head.

Pretty sure brief-cases don't exist yet.

Frederick's reaction… maybe just a little jealous, yes, but also disturbed by this man who routinely breaks into his leiges' rooms.

 **Firehedgehog** **:** Not familiar with that universe, sorry.

 **Yexius** **:** Interesting note, that was actually something I had planned to do for both Ghost Robin and Robin of the Pact. It's on the list, but unlikely because of how difficult it is to actually pull off.

 **Guest (2x)** **:** Glad you like it.

Almost all of those ideas are going to go under unlikely or minor, because they're either small details or very difficult.

 **Darkness is complete** **:** I was considering insomnia, but I thought the more literal interpretation of "doesn't need sleep at all" was more interesting. Matchmaking huh? It seems several people like that idea, and all of them have a different idea of how it should work. You're the first to suggest an actual magic component though. No guarantees as usual, but thanks for your input.

 **TwilightSymphonycat** **:** :D

 **Cyberchao X** **:** Yep, that's what I was aiming for. Glad you enjoyed!

 **Wrathie Winsre** **:** Looks like some weird duplicating happened in your review. It repeated itself almost entirely.

Don't worry about being busy. I've been plenty busy myself with essays and such, and I don't _expect_ you to review or anything. You have a life outside of replying to my fanfiction… or at least I hope you do.

You can wipe sweat with the back of your hand. That's what I was implying. Actually, when I was first writing this chapter, I was worried _this exact section_ about the chainlink and wiping his brow would be confusing, and apparently I wasn't wrong. And also, he _did_ feel it when he wiped his head. The fact that this is so confusing though tells me it could have used a bit of work. I guess it wasn't just me being paranoid…

This chapter takes a lot of cues from Ghost Robin and my original (unused) ideas for Robin of the Pact.

I wanted to keep it somewhat ambiguous whether Robin had power or not, partially because it reflected Chrom's paranoia over whether she could be trusted or not. Keeping her actual power level vague was just a part of that.

I mean, Chrom is dealing with a god who's general imagery is _imprisonment and chains_. That doesn't exactly scream "I'm a good guy"... and while Chrom is naively trusting, someone so obviously potentially dangerous is going to be on his radar no matter what.

Yep. I dunno how to do horror. If I did, it's unintentional (though useful in this case if it did happen). Zombie movie vibe was totally intentional though. I went for something a lot more cinematic for the sense of scale, but I guess the emotional impact may have suffered for it a bit.

That is a perfect comparison. Frederick really is like a father to him sometimes.

Hmm, yeah. I guess I can see why that ruins the moment a bit. Chrom being a follower, yes, totally, but he's a bit thick. As far as he was concerned this was more of an 'alliance' than him being a follower, he's helping her help him so to speak, but that's the dramatic irony because the readers know that he's totally a follower at this point.

I realized when I started writing this that Robin, both her bird and the person, wouldn't be doing much so I kept them on the sidelines for a long time. She was supposed to be important, but in a sort of indirect chessmaster/puppeteer sorta way.

1 - That's… actually a good point. Never occurred to me.

2 - You do remember Lucina's Falchion is significantly more powerful than Chrom's Falchion, right? I suppose it's only ever explained in the official comics, but Lucina's Falchion is partially awakened. It _is_ actually more powerful than Chrom's (hence the 12 attack stat vs the 5 of Chrom's Falchion).

I don't remember Marth saying anything prophetic here. She just implored them to retreat because more Risen were coming (which isn't unreasonable for her to know). Though maybe I forgot something…

Marth made a calculated guess. She knew her father became a follower at _some_ point before the Ylisse/Plegia war, and this is already pretty close. Him mentioning that the wolf cry (and you bet his future self told Lucina about fighting a dire wolf) was a pretty good indicator to Marth that he was at least getting visions, or else he probably wouldn't have been able to tell the difference.

It's a goddamn _miracle_ humans got their act together enough to just _survive_ with all the squabbling and in-fighting they do.

Virion is a decent tactician. He's not _incompetent_ but it's also not his primary field of study. He was a ruler before he was a warrior or tactician. Lucina, on the other hand, is a warrior and tactician _first_ due to the dire straits her world was in. Virion is fine, Lucina is just better. Virion is _not_ the Shepherd's tactician in the actual game. That's purely a detail I put in when I'm introducing Robin late to justify the Shepherd's ability to _not die_ in difficult battles when Robin isn't there.

They didn't burn the bones because superstitions and religion exist… and people didn't honestly expect _zombies_ to be a thing. Cremation is hardly a universal thing.

A bit OOC maybe. It depends on how prideful you think Chrom is usually.

You liked it? Oh, good. I was worried it was going to be kinda bad because of how quickly it went by. Combat is weird to write, I don't know _how_ to write it, so it's a wild guess every time as to what works.

I was pained as to whether Frederick should catch on or not. On one hand, he would respect his lord's wishes and not prod… but on the other hand he would totally spy on his lord if he thought there was a problem. I erred on the side of Frederick keeping a distance for the sake of the story.

I guess Chrom being a bit clueless is part of his usual character, eh? Character development seemed a bit mandatory in a story this long.

Frederick the stalker huh? I see him as over-protective rather than creepy, so while he knows a lot about Chrom he doesn't know every single detail. Ferox knowing about it was me deciding on world-building. My idea of Ylisse is that of a xenophobic and racist nation where you are only _allowed_ to worship Naga (at least until Emmeryn took power), so their knowledge of any other deity is basically non-existent. The khans knowing about it was a case of me incorporating that into the world. The old gods are obscure, but not forgotten. Ylisse has just been intentionally made ignorant by its rulers for a long time.

Name drop? You mean almost calling him "father"?

Well Chrom was certainly not using his brain at the start. He was minorly panicking. I could have made Robin much more god-like in her personality (see things on massive scales, have very little care for individual human lives, demand respect and awe) but I always intended her to be a pretty nice person who just happens to be intimidating as all hell on first sight. Also yes, Robin would get _smashed_ trying to fight Grima (at least in their dragon form. She could probably go toe-to-toe with Grima's avatar though). A weak goddess is still a goddess after all.

If Naga could take on Grima, she would have done so. I think Naga doesn't actually have a lot of power, she's a pushover compared to Grima. It just so happens that Naga has a lot of really powerful followers to balance that out.

She just has visions. They're not from any particular source, she just _gets_ them. So there really isn't more to say. She had a vision of him, so she chose him. Simple as that.

I'm pretty sure Maribelle's parents are alive in the game. Again, this is just a story choice on my part as one of the many differences between worlds. Giving Emmeryn a backbone was one of the most fun parts of this chapter, hands down. It was a joy to write.

I don't think other gods get visions… or not as potent. I imagine their inherent magic might give them small glimpses of potential futures or past events, but seeing something from another world would be _extremely_ unlikely and/or difficult. These easy cross-dimensional visions are unique to the Chained Lady for the most part. The gods know other dimensions exist of course, but seeing across them is hard.

Yeah, I knew about the informality. I wasn't a fan of it happening so quickly, but I couldn't figure how to squeeze more interactions in there. I tried to imply there had been other conversations that weren't written about that happened between them to try and cusion that. Also yes, Robin is totally on-board with this friendliness.

Lucina being active is something I always like in a story. This isn't time travel, so there's no reason for her to be cautious about messing around with things.

Politics can be fun! (When it's not real-life politics)

It's a rumor, and a bit of a wild one. Most people treated it as such and ignored it. That's also why the wooden robin hides, else it would cease to be a rumor and become very real for others and possibly be very inconvenient for them both.

This is kinda plot armor, but it's not that unrealistic. They're basically casting a glorified portal spell, which (while high level) isn't implausible for people to know already. The main problem is just locating Robin's body, then casting the portal at such a long range. Summoning Naga has issues because Naga actually watches over the whole country (and they aren't going to summon a god without that god's permission).

Again, it's not resurrection. It's a glorified portal/teleportation spell. That _is_ her main body, but her power is greatly diminished after years of doing basically nothing and having no worshippers. Also, she's not awake, and when she's not awake her powers are _drastically_ reduced in exchange for receiving/giving visions. She's still a powerhouse by human standards, but by godly standards… not so much.

Emmeryn will be Emmeryn. She's a pacifist. She'll lie, intimidate, and swindle if she needs to, but her primary goal is to prevent violence. Robin is _always_ chill. That's sorta her thing. Also, she's asleep, so all her emotions are a bit muted.

I considered giving Lucina chain powers, but then I also realized I'd have to explain why they aren't working for the entire rest of the story. For the sake of the story, I made it so godly powers don't directly inherit, and instead a demi-got simply gets _a_ domain of power (but you have no idea what the hell it is, or how specific it is) hence why Lucina didn't display any powers. Also, Lucina being a demigod was a total afterthought. I was like "hmm, Robin and Chrom pairing again… oh yeah, that makes Lucina a demigod, right? I should probably address that". Rarely do I factor in the child getting powers when making Robin Variable chapters, especially when that child isn't Morgan.

Not quite sure what you're saying here. What do you mean 'dig up an ancient body'? Also, Naga would get _wrecked_ if she tried to fight Grima. For reference, Anankos (an average dragon) is about the size of a large building, right? Grima is several times larger than a _castle_. Lucina is the size of one of his _eyes_. Fighting Grima's dragon body would result in Naga, or _anyone_ really, getting smashed. Grima outclasses pretty much everyone (god or otherwise) in terms of raw power. That's partially due to Grima being an artificial life form. (I suppose I could do it though. This is fanfiction after all, it's not like I'm bound to how I think the game world works. Making Naga that powerful though would have some serious implications for the world… hmm… need to think on it.)

A sequel would probably involve the entire Valm arc. Blah, that would take so long… but I also love The Chained Lady idea, so maybe.

I appreciate your reviews as always. Hope to hear you again.


	53. Highwayman Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **Minor: Dark Flier, Immortal, Boxer (Pugilist), Exploitive, Swordmaster, Angry Cinnamon Roll, Tripping, Perpetual Cheer, Chef, Blacksmith, Pegasus Knight, Teacher, Librarian, Masochist, Literal-Minded, Authoritative, Middle Age, Wyvern Rider, Phobia, Thicc, Tsundere, Damsel in Distress, Gangrel's Child, Wyvern Rider, Child, Communist, Bomber, Bear Cavalry, Flying, ADHD, Super Strength, Patriotic, Martial Artist, Scottish, Sassy, One Liner, Seamstress, Shephard, Speedy, Cool, Shy, Bookworm, Mercenary, Sweet, Kung Fu, Buff, Lazy.**

 **Standard: Elemental, Deaf, Foreign, Future sight, Nurse/Medic, Valmese Tactician, Medusa, Amazon, Genderfluid, Gift from Validar + evil to good, Mind Control, Banshee, Mimic, Emotionless, Crippling Overspecialization (Idiot Savant), Coward, ESP, POW, PTSD, Magician, Mute, Handicapped, Secret Helper, Crazy, Morpher, Dreamwalker, Motherly, Twins, Regenerating, Animal Whisperer, Naga/Tiki Assistant, Deadly Touch, Mind Reader, Doppelganger, Arachne, D &D magic, Umbramancer, Horror Monster, Dominatrix, Songstress, Kinky, Matchmaker, Androphobic, Fashion Designer, Illusionist, Attraction Aura, Ring Maker, Therapist, Teleporting, Crippled, Puppet, Broken, Hallucination, Depressed, Bodyguard, Slave, Love Curse, Detective.**

 **Unlikely: Chrom's child, Minotaur, Paladin, Werewolf, Assassin, Future Soldier, Bounty Hunter, Weather control, Kleptomaniac, Druid, Steampunk, Shadow Familiar, Magic Augmentation, Lucky, Exile, Piper (Charmer), Gladiator, Witch Doctor, Centaur, Drunk, Demon, Punk, Harpy, Revenant, Luck Manipulation, Demon Summoner, Megalomaniac, Kitsune, King of Plegia, Mood Ring, Reverse Aging, Hammerspace, Prostitute, Demon Hunter, Cyborg, Maid/Servant/Butler, Deadlord, Rebellion, Einherjar, Trap, Yandere, Living Weapon, Size Shifter, Queen of Plegia, Gluttonous, Stretchy, Ninja, Alchemist, Protoss, Spirit Manipulation, Invisible, Plegian Honor Guard, Mecha, Kryptonian, Creator, Orc, Memory Stealing Respawn, Racer, Khan, Misfortune, Vampire Hunter, Geokinetic, Imaginary Actualization, Death, Resurrection, Force, Merchant, Background Music, Variable, Civilian, Natural Disaster, Mental Noise Projection, Hidden OP, Summoner, Cyclops, Teleporter, Cryokinetic, Genie, Judge, Intangibility, Fortune Teller, Future Vision, Serial Killer, Pervert, Magic Fixit, Drakengard Restoration, Ying-Yang, Childhood Friend, Cyberpunk, Chrom's Mother, Obsessed, Berserker, Phase Shift, Gravity Manipulation, Hallucinating, Bladesoul, Zombie, Double Entendre, Shared Body/Two Souls, Cannibal, Singer, Violent, Insane, Waterbender, Casanova, Cupid, Undertaker, Master Thief, Guard, Faceless, Shadow, Age Control, Cradle Snatcher, Emo, Singer, Nun, Courier, Haunted Knight Armor, Egyptian, Sentient Object, Shit Lord, Court Wizard, Naga's sibling, Mad Queen, Artist, Predator, Cheshire Cat, Radio Host, Chimera, Wendigo, Witch, Symbiote, Hivemind, Hammerspace, Anna, Mother Nature, Psychopath, Stripper, Painting, Grima Parts, Knightmare, Super, Swimsuit, Bunny Outfit, One Punch, Idol, Chief, Rampage, Housewife, Determination, Vessel of Naga.**

 **Other: Self-insert, Second Generation replacement, Dimensional Walker, Cycle, Fates.**

 **Wanted Robin, suggested by a guest. I suppose I didn't stick too closely to this idea. I took 'wanted' in the context of 'rogue' or 'outlaw' more than anything.**

* * *

At first Sully thought it was an elaborate joke, or maybe the plot of a popular book. A masked man with a cape roaming the countryside and holding up carriages? Sully is well aware that highwaymen exist, she's taken down several before, but a cape and a mask? Bah. What folly…

And then she actually runs into the man and discovers he's very real, and very strange.

"Ho, knight of red, you would match weapons with the Raptor of the Road?" The man calls as he leaps off his horse. The carriage he was just robbing _immediately_ takes off, and the man pays it no mind.

The self-proclaimed "Raptor of the Road" looks just as outlandish as he sounds. He's wearing a fancy purple cape that's tattered and frayed at the edges, and looks to have a few holes in it from some weapon having poked through it in the past. His vest, shirt, and pants are all similarly fancy and keep up a black and dark purple theme, and are all similarly worn but fancy. The most absurd part of his gettup has to be the mask and the hat though. The mask is purple and in the shape of a bird with two eye slits to let his blue eyes see out. The hat is a goddamn _top hat_. If it weren't for that Sully _might_ be able to take him seriously, but the top hat just makes him look stupid.

The corseque in his hands is not so stupid though, nor is the rapier on his hip. The Raptor pats his horse on the side, and the beast snorts and shakes its head. Despite the shoddy condition of the Raptor's clothes, his horse looks well-cared for.

"Raptor of the Road? What, you think this is a theater? Do you think you're in a novel?" Sully sneers. "Ylisse has no place for delusional madmen who don't know reality from fiction."

"I know reality and fiction very well! Your thoughts of defeating me are fiction, and the coin I've won is real!" He pulls out a pouch, and shakes it. There's a loud clattering of coin, most likely from people he's robbed.

The cavalier snorts and levels her lance. "Fine then. We'll do this the hard way."

"It doesn't have to be so, you could flee." The Raptor offers cheekily.

"Not happening."

"Then tomorrow you'll tell the tale of how the Raptor of the Road bested you in combat!" The man cries. "Have at you!"

You'd think Sully being mounted and having actual armor would make this an easy fight… and you'd also be wrong. The Raptor keeps his corseque aimed at Sully's horse. Any charge she might attempt will surely end with her horse dead on the ground, even if she does succeed in taking down the Raptor.

"You bastard…" Sully growls as the man nimble jabs at her horse's legs again. "Fighting dirty!"

"Says the woman bringing a _horse_ to a duel." The Raptor laughs as he dances around her attempts at stabbing him. "Some knight! You complain of my honor, but it would seem you have none of your own!"

The cavalier grits her teeth in anger. She's forced to backstep her horse to avoid him getting stabbed in the face. Horses fare poorly against spears. Maybe this fight really would go better on foot…

Another strike from the Raptor hits one of her horse's armor plates, and Sully comes to a decision. She breaks off from the fight, backing a few dozen meters away, and dismounts her steed.

"A fair fight, a fair fight!" The Raptor cheers. "Come, dance with me!"

" _This guy's a fuckin' lunatic_."

The Raptor is still much more nimble than she is, and the multiple prongs of his weapon make it dangerous because he continuously tries to catch her weapon between those prongs to wrench it from her hands.

The man also seems to be intentionally _avoiding_ aiming at her face or heart. He jabs at her stomach and her limbs, and swipes his weapon horizontally to try and side-swipe her, but never goes for lethal attacks.

Sully is not so kind. This man is a thief who terrorizes travellers, she's fully trying to kill him. The problem is that while he's outlandish and ridiculous, the Raptor is also _skilled_. His spearwork is no joke, and he's much better at unmounted combat than Sully is.

"Knight in red, you know your defeat to be inevitable!" The Raptor boasts. "Give up now, before my corseque finds home! I am not so dishonorable as I look, surrender will be accepted and honored!"

"Fuck no! I'm not giving up to _you_!" Sully growls.

"So be it." The man smirks. He suddenly dashes forward and swipes his her weapon to the side with his own. Sully rapidly backpedals and tries to get her lance between them, but the Raptor is prepared. He drops his corseque entirely, grabs the shaft of her lance with one hand, and draws his rapier with the other.

In less than two seconds they went from even footing to Sully having her weapon incapacitated with a blade at her throat. "You dirty cheat."

"Cheat? Lady knight, I did no such thing!" The Raptor feings offence. "Cleverness is not a crime! Not in life and not in dueling! Hate me not because I outwitted thee."

Sully _seethes_ in rage. With great reluctance she drops her weapon and holds her hands up in the air. The Raptor kicks her weapon away, keeping the point of his own just under her chin, and then steps closer and flicks up her helmet.

"Oho, quite the beauty." He chuckles. "Though, I suppose there's no reason for me to assume otherwise. Beauty and strength are not mutually exclusive, hmm?"

The cavalier snarls wordlessly.

"You were quite the challenge lady knight! By far the strongest to have challenged me." The Raptor hums. "But alas, the Raptor of the Road comes out on top once more! I have a fellow predator, yourself, within my claws…"

Sully has had it with this nut. "Oh, just shut _up_ and get on-"

The cavalier is suddenly silenced by the man leaning forward and pecking her on the lips. It lasts only a moment, and he's pulled back before she can react.

"You- but- _fuck_ you!" Sully shouts. Any composure she had is gone, she's _mad_. "Honor my ass! I'm going to fucking _kill_ you the next time I see you!"

"Keep improving then Lady Knight, I look forward to our next battle!" The man grins roguishly. He suddenly kicks her in the stomach which knocks her to the ground, and dashes back to his horse while picking up his corseque along the way. He's up on his steed and riding away well before Sully has even grabbed her lance off the ground.

###

"You _lost_ a fight to some random highwayman?!" Stahl shouts, aghast.

"Yeah, I did, rub it in more." Sully growls.

"Not just some random highwayman, the _Raptor_." Sumia says with an eager smile. "She got to duel a legend! She got _kissed_ by a legend!"

"Ooh, sexual assault, how _amazing_." Sully snarls.

"Oh please, if it had been the other way around and you were a dude and he a girl, everyone would think it's sexy." Sumia says dismissively.

Sully rolls her eyes and sneers. "Whatever. I'm still going to kill him if I see him again."

"No, you won't." Chrom says firmly as he steps into the conversation. "Sully, you know the protocol for catching robbers. You kill them only if you _need_ to, because the goal is to have them stand trial. You know full well he won't kill you, so you are to _not_ try and kill him in return."

Sully had totally forgotten about that. "But, he _kissed_ me."

Chrom gives her a flat look. "Are you a knight or not?"

Sully's hands ball into fists, but she sighs and releases the tension a moment later. "I'm a knight. Sorry Milord."

"As long as you remember."

###

Over the next two weeks Sully trains hard. Or, at least, harder than she usually would. She spars against as many of the lance-users in the Shepherds as she can.

Her pride is on the line. That man made a mockery of her. She _will_ find him and beat him. Stahl (and a few others) offer to help find and/or catch him, but Sully turns them down. She wants to take this guy down on her own. She wants the satisfaction of wiping that smug grin off his face.

Chrom promptly tells everyone that they're going to Ferox, so Sully's planned quest to find and defeat the Raptor is abruptly put on hold. There is a bit of travel through Ylisse that has to happen to get to Ferox, and while that's happening Sully keeps a sharp ear out for rumors of fancy-dressed highwayman. She's desperately hoping to take on the Raptor before they leave.

No such luck though. She finds some mention of robbers, and indeed a few people have heard of the Raptor, but by all accounts he is not in the area.

Sully is frustrated to say the least. She can _feel_ the man taunting her for running away every step she takes towards Ferox and away from the roads of Ylisse.

If you had asked her a month ago, she would never have thought an urban legend would consume so much of attention and focus. She would never have expected it to become an obsession of hers to track him down and beat him.

###

"An' what'll you 'ave lass?"

"I ain't no _lass_." Sully scoffs as she takes a seat. "But I'll have whatever's strongest."

"Aha." The bartender grins. "Alright then. I'm sensin' a story 'ere."

"You might say that." The cavalier sighs. "I'm lookin' for someone, and having no luck at it."

"Some bastard leave ya at the altar?"

"Do I look like a blushing bride?" The lady snaps. "And what, is that common?"

"Not 'ny more ya don't, and no, it ain't common, but I've had one or two o' them come through here." The bartender jokes. "What are ya then?"

Sully down a shot. "Knight."

"Well now, we don't get _that_ around here often."

"Ain't many female knights." Sully grunts. She shoves her glass back at the man, and he fills it up again. "I'm looking for someone."

"Ain't we all…"

"Not romance ya fucker!" Sully snaps. "I'm trackin' down a criminal!"

"Ah…"

"A guy by the name of "the Raptor"." The knight growls. "You heard of him?"

The man barks out a laugh. "Oh yes, definitely. You're not the first to come in search of him."

"Who else?"

"Every other knight errant this side of Ylisstol." He smirks. "Sorry lass, I can only tell you what I told them. He was around 'ere before, but he's since moved on from what I can tell. Ain't heard a report of him holdin' people up 'ere for a month or three."

"Damn…" Sully growls. She slams down her glass again. "Whatever. Give me another round."

"Yes ma'am."

Sully doesn't know how many shots she takes before she calls it quits. Five? Seven? Ten? It doesn't matter. She's _frustrated_. She's been searching for two months since the Shepherds came back from Ferox to no avail.

She barely notices when someone sits down next to her. The thin, small man in a thick brown cloak quietly orders some beer and food.

"You look like you're having a rough day." The man says tentatively. Perhaps he noticed Sully's frustration. "Are you alright, miss?"

"No!" Sully snarls. She's quite drunk at this point. "I've failed! I've been searching for months, and haven't found him anywhere!"

"That's quite the problem." The man says sympathetically.

"He… he made a mockery of me! I'm gonna pay him back." Sully slurs. The alcohol is really starting to hit her now. "I _have_ to pay him back! I'm a kniiiight. I can… can't let someone make a mockery of me! Especially not soooome fancy bandit man…"

"That's quite the predicament." He murmurs. "Highwaymen do have a certain skill for hiding though. If not, they would have been caught long ago."

"I know, an' it's annoying!" Sully growls. "The bastard… I'll find him one day…"

"Not today though." The man says. "If I may be so bold… it would seem you've had a little too much to drink."

" _You_ don't get to tell me that." Sully growls. She points a shaky finger at him. "I'm my own woman! Yooou don't tell me what to do."

The man raises his hands innocently. "It was merely a _suggestion_ by a concerned stranger. I wish you no ill will lady knight."

"You better not…"

The man doesn't talk to her for the rest of the night, and Sully proceeds to get even more smashed than she was before. It's only when she's lying face-down on the table that she considers _maybe_ she's had too much to drink. She forces herself to her feet, and almost immediately falls over.

Sully only partially registers that someone caught her. She feebly tries to push them away, she hasn't lost her strength, but she's too uncoordinated to keep them away, and there's the small matters of her feeling _very_ sick all of a sudden.

She's led outside, where she proceeds to be violently ill in a bush. Whoever it is holding her up pats her on the back sympathetically, and wipes her mouth with a cloth when it's done and offers her a drink of water to get rid of the taste.

"Let's get you a room…" The figure murmurs.

###

Sully wakes up with a splitting headache and no idea what happened last night. All her equipement is in the room, placed neatly in the corner. There's also a tall glass of water and a note on her side-table.

The cavalier takes the water first. It's lukewarm, probably having been sitting there for a while, but it helps her feel less like shit.

Then she reads the note, and her shitty feeling vanishes and is replaced by fury. The note reads:

" _We meet again Lady Knight! Though under different circumstances it seems. I hear you are in pursuit of myself for a rematch! I am more than happy to oblige… but you must prove yourself ready to the challenge! Find me first Lady Knight, and I will gladly give you the fight you so desire!_ " - The Raptor of the Road

"Damnit!" Sully snarls, and throws the note to the floor.

###

"Really?!" Sumia gasps. "That's so cool!"

"Fuck no it's not! I got drunk, and my _enemy_ one-upped me _again_!" Sully groans. "Naga damn it all."

"Maybe he's just too wild to be caught…" Sumia says wistfully.

"Yeah, no. You've just been reading too many trashy romance novels." Sully snorts. "I'm _going_ to catch him."

"Ooh…"

"To _imprison_ him, not romance him. Get your mind out of your books."

Sumia looks disappointed. "Aww…"

###

The whole 'war' thing puts a hold on Sully's quest to find the Raptor, as does the sudden outbreak of undead monsters named "Risen". The sheer importance of all the events going on around her make her almost forget the enigmatic highwayman.

She may have stopped caring about finding him entirely if not for rumors of his activity becoming _more_ common as Risen and bandit attacks increase in frequency. Surprisingly, the rumors _don't_ speak of him robbing random passers-by. Instead Sully hears mention of him as a _hero_ who swoops in to _save_ travellers and villages from attacks.

Sumia becomes more eager for tales of the Raptor than Sully herself. She's absolutely infatuated with the idea of the Raptor being some sort of redemption tale, a man with a tragic backstory or perhaps just a dashing Robin Hood type who found a new purpose as a guardian.

Sully thinks that's all bullshit, and that Sumia has an overactive imagination. Maybe the Raptor found a conscience or something, but he still has a lot of robberies to answer for… and Sully really wants to best him in battle now. She doesn't _really_ care about bringing him in anymore. She just wants another duel.

###

The Shepherds were in trouble. A particularly nasty band of Risen had been plaguing southern Ylisse. It was so dangerous that the Shepherds had been pulled out of Plegia just to deal with it. Astonishingly, it seems like these Risen might be above even them.

These Risen are clearly advanced soldiers. They have a general as their leader, as is noticeable by how it doesn't directly move to engage the Shepherds and instead keeps a steady distance while observing them. The other Risen, mostly great knights and bow knights, form a formidable front and backline that the Shepherds are hard pressed to beat. It doesn't help that the terrain favors them. The open plains is the perfect battlefield for mounted units, but the Shepherds can't fall back because there's a village they're trying to protect.

It's a lose-lose situation. Either they die defending the village, or they retreat and let the villagers die.

That is, it _would_ be a lose-lose situation if they hadn't gotten sudden help from an unexpected source. The figure charges over a hill _behind_ the Risen on a mount and makes a beeline for the General. One bow knight stops shooting at the Shepherds to meet the figure, but they are not so easily stopped. They swing their polearm (some form of lance by the look of it) in a wide arc, making use of the extra range of their weapon over the bow knight's sword, and slashes the eyes of the bow knight's horse. Even as undead, they still need eyes to see, so the horse goes down in a chaotic mess of hooves and armor which leaves the rider helpless to a follow up thrust through the neck.

The defeat of the bow knight draws the entire backline to focus on the figure, relieving a huge amount of pressure off the Shepherds and allowing them to actually make some headway. The figure does a remarkably good job at dodging arrows. Some get caught in his cape, but none find their mark in him nor his horse.

Even with the cape, Sully doesn't realize it's the Raptor until she hears him speak. "Hah! Foul beings of the Nether, thou shalt never touch the Raptor of the Road! You are out of your depth, clumsy, _unsophisticated_! I've had tea that puts up more of a fight than you! And I don't drink tea!"

"Who is that lunatic?" Stahl calls out as he fights back a great knight with the help of Cordelia.

He wasn't expecting the figure himself to respond, but apparently he has good hearing. "Ho-ho! I am glad you asked, he-who-is-being-rescued! I am the Raptor of the Road! Hierarch of highwaymen, royal of rogues, and _master_ combatant!"

"Shove off ya nutjob!" Sully barks. She roughly thrusts her lance into a chink in her opponent's armor. "We had this handled!"

"Lady Knight! We meet again!" The man laughs. He and his horse gracefully dodge a few more arrows. "Though it would seem this time _I_ am the knight, seeing as I have come to your rescue!"

"That's not how being a knight works!"

"Fight now, talk later!" Chrom barks.

"You speak as if they are exclusive options!" The Raptor says, sounding offended. He takes an abrupt turn, and uses his corseque to slash the legs of one of the pursuing horses. "I am verily a wordsmith in battle! The wit, the _drama_ I convey is unmatched! The world cannot be deprived of such a thing!"

"But oh, how I wish it could already…" Chrom mutters.

With the Raptor providing an excellent distraction, the Shepherds manage to clean up the great knights and then help surround and take down the bow knights. The general attempts to flee with all his troops being defeated, but he's far too slow. The mounted Shepherds along with the Raptor chase him down and kill him easily.

"Hark! The Raptor is victorious again!" The flamboyant man cries. He stands high on his horse, and executes a sweeping bow which temporarily pulls his hat from his head. "You are welcome for the rescue! No compensation necessary! I live off the goodwill of nature… and gold I took from bandits."

"Like hell you do! I bet you still have gold from all those carriages you robbed!" Sully barks as she pushes to the front of the group.

"Ah, Lady Knight… you speak of the old, distant, bygone days of my more unscrupulous activities." The Raptor says as he looks off into the distance.

"Distant? That was _five_ fucking months ago!" The cavalier barks.

"For an amnesiac such as me, that's half my known life!" The man says dramatically. "Ages, _millenia_ practically Lady Knight! Surely you do not begrudge actions that occured in my relative infancy!"

"Too bad! I still want another duel!" Sully growls.

"Hold on Sully, who is this?" Chrom interrupts.

"I am-!"

"Not asking you." The prince cuts him off. "Sully?"

"Highwayman. Overdramatic punk beat me in a duel when I stopped him from robbing a carriage." Sully growls.

" _Former_ highwayman!" The Raptor gasps, sounding offended. "Have you not heard? I'm a reformed man now! A veritable hero! I've gone from punk to paladin!"

"Right." Sully says dryly. She looks at her commander. "I mean, I have heard stories of him saving villages and whatnot recently. But he _was_ a highwayman at one point."

"I see…" Chrom says slowly. "Erm, Raptor, was it?"

"The Raptor of the Road!" The man grins. "Indeed!"

"Right. You wouldn't happen to know someone named Marth, would you?"

"Marth?" The Raptor contemplates for a moment. "No, no, I do not. I would love to though! A legend meets another legend! 'twould be a meeting for the ages!"

"Sure…" Chrom says slowly. As much as this man is way _way_ too dramatic, he's also a competent fighter, and apparently has already been doing some hero work. Violent robbery isn't the best thing to have in one's past, but people _do_ change. Especially when they can find stable work that means they don't have to resort to robbery. "Raptor, I have a proposition."

"Don't you _dare_." Sully growls, but the prince ignores him.

"What would you say about fighting with the Shepherds?" Chrom offers. "We can offer steady pay, as well as room and board and free upkeep for your weapons and attire." He pauses. "Well, maybe not your _outlandish_ attire, but still good attire."

"My, yon prince makes an offer most tempting…" The Raptor muses. "Alas though, while you fight the war, bandits and undead roam your lands! I must decline. Heroes are needed back here as well, and I think my skills suited to the job. Besides, sand doesn't agree with my horse nor my clothes."

Chrom is actually surprised. He's never had someone turn down membership to the Shepherds. The Raptor makes some good points though. Chrom has to admit the man is _very_ skilled. "Very well then, I will not force you to join. Will you consider instead working with Ylisse's Homeland Defenders? We are painfully short on guards and our defensive army is small. All the help we can get is needed… and we can still pay you."

" _That_ is a deal I will happily accept!" The Raptor says with a grin. "Some spare coin would be nice. I could use a replacement cape."

###

The Raptor joins them that night at the village tavern. Even when he eats and drinks, the mask and hat never come off. His face is still obscured and had to place. You would think with most of his face uncovered you'd have an easy time knowing what someone looks like, but the area around the eyes is _vital_ , and obscuring just that can make someone totally unrecognizable.

This is proven late at night when Sully gets up to use the outhouse. She finds a familiar, small man at the bar, writing in a journal while nursing some lukewarm porridge. Sully can't quite place him, but she _knows_ that she knows him.

"Hey…" She says quietly, so as to not disturb everyone else. "I know you, don't I?"

"Ah, hello again Lady Knight." The man whispers with a timid smile. "We meet again. I do hope you're not quite as drunk this time."

Suddenly Sully knows who he is. She met him when she got totally wasted in that bar, and then woke up with a note from the Raptor in her room. "Yeah, uh, definitely not. Didn't think I'd see you again."

"Really?" He murmurs. "I was under the impression you were searching for me."

"What? No. I was searching for… the… Raptor…" Her voice trails off when she notices the corseque lying by his side, as well as the rapier on his hip. He doesn't have fancy clothes, he isn't speaking dramatically, he's totally unrecognizable as the Raptor… but it has to be him. " _You're_ the Raptor?"

"Sometimes." He hums. "Most of the time though, I'm simply Robin. A wandering scholar."

"And your whole amnesia story?"

"Very real unfortunately. My journals have been no help in explaining that event, nor my past. It would seem my past self shared a love for accumulating knowledge though." He says with a smile.

Sully is at a loss for words. It never occurred to her that the Raptor might be a front. An _act_. She assumed whoever was behind the mask was either truly a nut, or some cocky bastard that just enjoys his own show. "Oh."

"You have found me now though, or more accurately we've had another chance encounter. I believe a duel is in order, yes?"

Sully has wanted this duel for so long. Over half a year by this point… but that was under the pretense that the Raptor was exactly who he seemed to be. Sully doesn't harbor ill will towards this calm, friendly man who showed concern for her long ago when she drank herself stupid (and, Sully realizes, must also be the one who helped her to her room). Sure, he's also the Raptor, but he just seems so _sensible_ now. "I… uh…"

"Come now. It would be wrong to leave the story on an anti-climax, wouldn't it?" Robin says somewhat cheekily. "So a duel? At dawn? For the sake of testing how much you've improved?"

"Sure." Sully won't turn that down. It _would_ be wrong to leave this unresolved after all.

###

"Ho, Lady Knight! We cross poles once more!" The Raptor cries. He brandishes his corseque with a flourish. "A duel, a duel! An encore of our first dance! Will it be a repeat, or will another finale manifest itself?"

"Oh there's gonna be another finale alright. It's gonna be your butt in the dirt, and _me_ on top!"

"Ooh…"

"Sumia!" Sully barks, glaring at the girl. The brunette giggles and turns her face away. " _Naga above, that girl has a dirty mind. She really needs to read something else._ "

"I'll be judging the duel. When I say stop, you _stop_." Chrom says firmly. "Otherwise, the duel is fought to surrender or disarmament of _all_ weapons."

Sully remembers how Robin beat her the first time. He still has that rapier at his hip. This time Sully has picked up her own secondary weapon though. She's not as good with the iron sword as she is a lance, but she's no slouch. The two are fighting unmounted.

"If both sides are ready?" Chrom asks.

"Yep." Sully sneers.

"A fight! A fight!" The Raptor grins. "I am prepared!"

"Then… begin!"

Neither combatant immediately rushes in. They spend a minute circling each other. This is more advantageous for the Raptor than Sully though, as it gives him opportunities to try and tangle her lance in the prongs of his corseque. Sully realizes quickly _she_ has to take the offensive, because the current dance is going to end with her losing her weapon at some point.

Gritting her teeth, Sully rushes forwards with her lance leveled. She hoped the Raptor would backpedal like she did in their first fight, but he holds his ground. He switches his grip on his weapon to that of a staff, and uses it to bat aside the head of her lance. He whips the top of his own around quickly, trying to swipe her across the face and end the fight, and Sully just manages to avoid it by ducking.

" _Damn, it's a good thing Lissa's ready with her staff. If I'd stood still that woulda_ _blinded_ _me._ " Sully realizes. The Raptor is giving his all to this fight, and with a healer at the ready he can get away with a lot more than he did in their first fight. " _Alright, if that's how you want to play it_ …"

She suddenly swings her fist forwards and rams it into the man's stomach. He coughs, but doesn't fall, and promptly kicks her in the shin in return.

The Raptor also whips his corseque around again and smacks her lance from her hand. Sully, realizing she's in for a swift loss if she doesn't return the favor, lunges forwards and grabs the shaft of his weapon with both her hands. They have a temporary struggle where each side tries to pull the weapon away from the other, and when he realizes it's not working in his favor the Raptor releases his grip with one hand and pulls his rapier.

Suly whips out her own sword and immediately presses the attack, forcing the Raptor to drop his corseque in favor of defending himself with the rapier.

The fight has successfully transitioned to a sword duel. The Raptor's skill in this area shows. Sully is constantly on the back foot and has to bat away the thrusts the Raptor aims at her stomach and chest.

" _I need to take the offensive._ " Sully thinks. She grimaces. " _This is risky, but I have no choice._ "

When the Raptor makes another thrust, Sully acts. She bends her body to dodge the attack, but reaches out with her free hand to grab the blade of her opponent. Her armored glove prevents any damage from the rapier's (already lacking) cutting edge. She makes a clumsy swing with her own blade to try and capitalize on the advantage, but the Raptor is not so easy to beat. He nimbly ducks he swing, and wrenches his blade out of her hand. The thin profile of the weapon makes it too difficult for her to hold onto.

"Ho-ho! The Lady Knight has some tricks of her own?" The Raptor says cheerfully. "Growth, improvement, a challenge! How magnificent! But also, how _insufficient_ to beat someone as legendary as I!"

The man suddenly and violently whips his weapon around, forcing Sully to block with her own blade. Robin pushes in, bringing them so close together that neither of them have space to actually move their weapons.

Sully doesn't know what the plan is here, but she's determined not to let him win. Her free hand snaps out and grabs him by the throat. Her smile widens as she hears him cough. She's-

"STOP!"

Both fighters stop in place. Sully relaxes her grip a bit so the Raptor can breath.

"The Raptor wins."

"WHAT?!" Sully bellows.

"Look down." Chrom says calmly. " _Slowly_."

Sully does so. The mere act of tilting her head immediately lets her feel the problem. There's the cold feel of metal against her neck. While she used her free hand to try and choke him, the Raptor used his free hand to draw a hidden dagger. Choking is a fine tactic, but that dagger would have killed her well before she choked him out.

The Raptor wins. _Again._

Sully groans as she fully releases her opponent. The Raptor laughs, which turns into a series of coughs. Liss rushes to heal the bruises on his throat. "Damnit, you never play fair!"

"One does not win by only playing _fair_! A fight is a fight! Besides, I avoided dirty moves." The Raptor says smugly. "I could have kicked you in the groin _several_ times."

"You'd kick a girl there?"

"Yes."

"Huh. Well props for bein' equal opportunity I guess."

"Does this satisfy your desire for a duel?" The Raptor asks suddenly. "Do you have _satisfaction_? Our encore was truly stupendous! And it was on friendly terms this time as well…"

"I… yeah. I'm satisfied." Sully nods. She really is. She got to see how much she improved. She actually stood a chance this time, but got beat by the same trick just with a third weapon. "Don't think that means that this is the last time we'll be sparring though! When I come back from the war, I want another round!"

"Splendid! The dance continues!" The Raptor cries. "Practice your steps well Lady Knight; I am no static being! I will not stay motionless as you keep moving! Improvement plays no favourites save for practice, experience, and strategy!"

"Words to live by." Chrom says approvingly. He actually looks a bit surprised at hearing the Raptor say something so _rational_ , even if it's phrased in a flowery over-dramatic fashion. "I wish we could stay longer to discuss matters, but the Shepherds must be off to the war once more. I will alert Ylissean Homeland Defence of an impending message from yourself. They will give further instructions once you've contacted them."

"And contact them I shall! A replacement cape, a fresh new hat, some shine for my mask... all in time of course. When you return home, the Raptor of the Road will be known all through Ylisse as a hero just as great as yourself!" The man brags.

"I'll hold you to that claim." Sully smirks. "When I come back, the _first_ bar I visit better have news of you or I'm chewing you out for lying."

"The Raptor of the Road never disappoints! You won't even have to go to the bar! The guards, the travellers, _everyone_ will have a tale of the Raptor on their lips!"

Sully snorts at the ridiculousness of the claim. "Whatever you say Raptor. Just don't forget our next fight! I expect a _challenge_ , you better not fall behind!"

"Hah! Lady Knight, you stole the words from mine own mouth!"

* * *

 **Robin (or the Raptor of the Road) was** _ **fun**_ **this chapter. Sully was tough to write though.**

* * *

 **Fantasy Paradise** **:** What's JoJo? What's a stand?

 **bauers374** **:** Yeah, I rarely reuse pairing aside from Chrom because Chrom is _really_ easy to use (and I happen to like the pairing).

Hamilton huh? I've never seen/heard it unfortunately, though I have heard _of_ it.

 **Zeyro** **:** Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it. I actually did try to use Chrom at first, I didn't think I could make it work with someone else, but this time it was Chrom who made it _hard_ to do Banshee, so choosing Donnel actually made things easier. Usually it's the other way around for me.

 **Darkness is complete** **:** I love it. So much yes.

 **T** **:** I accept suggestions, though (as I tell everyone) there is no guarantee I will execute your suggestion as you want me to nor that I will ever actually do it.

 **KagamiRose** **:** There's actually already a vampire chapter. It's male Robin, but still vampire. See chapter 23.

 **NerdLord2nd** **:** Intentionally re-inflicting amnesia? That's… interesting. Not sure that fits the detective vibe though. After all he'd totally forget why he got amnesia, so he wouldn't know it was self-inflicted.

Eh, whatever. Detective Robin is a good idea either way.


	54. Mind Control Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **Minor: Dark Flier, Immortal, Boxer (Pugilist), Exploitive, Swordmaster, Angry Cinnamon Roll, Tripping, Perpetual Cheer, Chef, Blacksmith, Pegasus Knight, Teacher, Librarian, Masochist, Literal-Minded, Authoritative, Middle Age, Wyvern Rider, Phobia, Thicc, Tsundere, Damsel in Distress, Gangrel's Child, Wyvern Rider, Child, Communist, Bomber, Bear Cavalry, Flying, ADHD, Super Strength, Patriotic, Martial Artist, Scottish, Sassy, One Liner, Seamstress, Shephard, Speedy, Cool, Shy, Bookworm, Mercenary, Sweet, Kung Fu, Buff, Lazy, Wingless Flight.**

 **Standard: Elemental, Deaf, Foreign, Future sight, Nurse/Medic, Valmese Tactician, Medusa, Amazon, Genderfluid, Gift from Validar + evil to good, Mimic, Emotionless, Crippling Overspecialization (Idiot Savant), Coward, ESP, POW, PTSD, Magician, Mute, Handicapped, Secret Helper, Crazy, Morpher, Dreamwalker, Motherly, Twins, Regenerating, Animal Whisperer, Naga/Tiki Assistant, Deadly Touch, Mind Reader, Doppelganger, Arachne, D &D magic, Umbramancer, Horror Monster, Dominatrix, Songstress, Kinky, Matchmaker, Androphobic, Fashion Designer, Illusionist, Attraction Aura, Ring Maker, Therapist, Teleporting, Crippled, Puppet, Broken, Hallucination, Depressed, Bodyguard, Slave, Love Curse, Detective.**

 **Unlikely: Chrom's child, Minotaur, Paladin, Werewolf, Assassin, Future Soldier, Bounty Hunter, Weather control, Kleptomaniac, Druid, Steampunk, Shadow Familiar, Magic Augmentation, Lucky, Exile, Piper (Charmer), Gladiator, Witch Doctor, Centaur, Drunk, Demon, Punk, Harpy, Revenant, Luck Manipulation, Demon Summoner, Megalomaniac, Kitsune, King of Plegia, Mood Ring, Reverse Aging, Hammerspace, Prostitute, Demon Hunter, Cyborg, Maid/Servant/Butler, Deadlord, Rebellion, Einherjar, Trap, Yandere, Living Weapon, Size Shifter, Queen of Plegia, Gluttonous, Stretchy, Ninja, Alchemist, Protoss, Spirit Manipulation, Invisible, Plegian Honor Guard, Mecha, Kryptonian, Creator, Orc, Memory Stealing Respawn, Racer, Khan, Misfortune, Vampire Hunter, Geokinetic, Imaginary Actualization, Death, Resurrection, Force, Merchant, Background Music, Variable, Civilian, Natural Disaster, Mental Noise Projection, Hidden OP, Summoner, Cyclops, Teleporter, Cryokinetic, Genie, Judge, Intangibility, Fortune Teller, Future Vision, Serial Killer, Pervert, Magic Fixit, Drakengard Restoration, Ying-Yang, Childhood Friend, Cyberpunk, Chrom's Mother, Obsessed, Berserker, Phase Shift, Gravity Manipulation, Hallucinating, Bladesoul, Zombie, Double Entendre, Shared Body/Two Souls, Cannibal, Singer, Violent, Insane, Waterbender, Casanova, Cupid, Undertaker, Master Thief, Guard, Faceless, Shadow, Age Control, Cradle Snatcher, Emo, Singer, Nun, Courier, Haunted Knight Armor, Egyptian, Sentient Object, Shit Lord, Court Wizard, Naga's sibling, Mad Queen, Artist, Predator, Cheshire Cat, Radio Host, Chimera, Wendigo, Witch, Symbiote, Hivemind, Hammerspace, Anna, Mother Nature, Psychopath, Stripper, Painting, Grima Parts, Knightmare, Super, Swimsuit, Bunny Outfit, One Punch, Idol, Chef, Rampage, Housewife, Determination, Vessel of Naga.**

 **Other: Self-insert, Second Generation replacement, Dimensional Walker, Cycle, Fates.**

 **Mind Control. Suggested by IsThisWorking, XenoEmblem4TW, and Invisible Prince on separate occasions. This was a hard one to start. It's also a bit of an experiment with tense, and non dialogue-heavy storytelling (as my usual style, as you're all probably aware, is completely dialogue focused).**

* * *

Chrom remembers the day he lost control of himself. The day he, his sister, and Frederick became puppets.

It was a nice day. The sun was out, it was warm but not hot, the birds were chirping, and there was a slight breeze. Having heard rumors of bandits in the area the three of them were patrolling outside of Southtown. It was one of Lissa's first outings with the Shepherds, the first time she even had the _chance_ of coming across danger.

Come across danger they did, though they didn't know it at the time. They found a lady lying in the grass. She wore Plegian garb, with eyes of Grima on the wrist, collar, and buttons of her cloak. She was tall, standing a few inches higher than Chrom, and had dark brown skin, brown-red hair, and (when she opened them) steel-colored irises. She also had a willowy frame and soft facial features.

Beyond the Plegian garb, there was nothing obviously dangerous about her.

"Chrom, we should do something." Lissa had whispered.

"Such as?" Chrom asked with a raised eyebrow. "You're the healer. Is there something wrong with her?"

"Not that I can see." The princess mumbled. "It's just _weird_ that there'd be a Plegian woman taking a nap here."

"Milady speaks the truth." Frederick added. "It may be wise to heed her Milord."

"I am aware Frederick." Chrom had said. He wishes now that he hadn't. He wishes he's said " _Good point you two_." and had kept his distance.

At the time though, he hadn't known she could mind-control people with a touch. If he'd known that beforehand his approach would have been very different. Alas, the world was not so kind as to inform him, and his usual altruism (if he could be so prideful as to call himself altruistic) led him astray.

The prince had knelt down next to her, and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "Pardon me." He'd whispered. He hadn't wanted to wake her too abruptly.

She'd woken slowly, as if from deep slumber. They'd locked eyes for a moment, and Chrom had given her a smile of reassurance to calm the sudden confusion he saw there. He'd offer his ungloved hand to her ungloved hand.

He hadn't known it at the time, but that was the moment when he became a puppet. There was no flash of magic, no tingling feeling, no sense of his mind being gripped and controlled. There was nothing, and Chrom had had no reason to suspect he was under her control.

"Wh-Who are you?" The girl had asked cautiously.

"She plays the fool, hmm?" Frederick muttered. Chrom shot him a scolding look.

"My name is Chrom." The prince said. "Do pardon Frederick, he's very untrusting."

"Naga forbid _someone_ show an appropriate level of caution." The knight scoffed. "My pardon stranger, but it is my duty to be critical."

"That's understandable I suppose…" The lady murmured. She holds out her hand to him for a shake. "I'm Robin by the way."

Cautiously, Frederick had shaken her hand. He'd been wearing his gauntlets, so he'd been protected. It would be later as they rode into battle to aid Southtown that Robin would touch the back of his neck to get his attention, and Frederick would slip under her control.

Lissa may have had her gloves on, but it hardly mattered. She's skipped right up and brought them literally nose to nose as she excitedly greeted Robin.

Within the span of less than a minute, both prince and princess were under the sway of this stranger. Within an hour Frederick would be as well, and all of them were none the wiser.

###

The instance Chrom noticed of his will not being all his own was abrupt and came out of nowhere. He'd been talking with Vaike after a round of sparring, and the man had commented "Ya know, we don't get to do this so much anymore yeah? Yer always hangin' 'round Robin nowadays."

"Well, she is new." Chrom had said with a shrug. "Someone needs to be around to help her. Also, she's a tactician. A good flow of information between the two of us is necessary."

Vaike snorted. "Listen to yerself. A good flow o' information? Yer talkin' all formal, ya only do that when yer tryn'a cover somethin' up." He pointed a finger at the man. "I think ya have a crush."

Chrom was going to say " _no, of course not_ " because, while he would admit the lady intrigued him, most of their time together had been business at that point. He didn't know her well enough to have a crush. His body had other ideas though, and he'd said "I mean… if you want to think that I won't argue."

Almost instantly Chrom had been surprised with himself. What was he been saying? He didn't have a crush at all! He should clarify so Vaike didn't get the wrong impression.

He opened his mouth to speak again and… nothing. He couldn't put out the words. He was physically incapable of it, and he didn't know why.

That had sparked a little bit of panic in him. He tried to tell Vaike that something was wrong, that he physically couldn't say something, that there must be some sort of spell on him… but he couldn't say that either.

"Hah! I knew it." Vaike said triumphantly. "Well, if you ever need ol' Teach's tips on how to handle ladies, he'll be happy to educate ya!"

"I'll keep that in mind." Chrom said with a hint of dryness in his tone. He was far too busy panicking to be sarcastic, but whatever force was making him say all these things had kept character and put in the sarcasm.

Chrom left the training area feeling terrified. His face refused to show it though. His face was calm, with a hint of a smile, totally masking whatever was going on in his mind against his wishes.

" _Am I not in control of myself?_ " Chrom had wondered. He tried to raise his own hand to his head… and it worked. He threw a mock punch, and his body responded as normal. He drew and sheathed his blade, and both actions happened without interruption.

He then took a deep breath, and tried to shout " _HELP!_ " but his voice stopped just short of it against his will, leaving him to breath out heavily instead.

" _I need help._ " Chrom panicked. " _Lissa, Miriel, someone who knows curses!_ "

He went to find his sister and thankfully his body didn't stop him. He went to where he knew she'd be: having tea with Maribelle. The prince knocked on the door, identified himself, and entered.

"Hey bro, what's up? Something important?" Lissa asked, and put down her tea. "Did you break Vaike's arm by accident again?"

"That happened _once_." He scoffed (which was not at all what he wanted to say). "I came here for a different reason."

"And what is that?" Maribelle asked in a huff. "I would hope you have a good reason for interrupting our ritual."

" _I can't control my voice! I can't control my expressions!_ " Chrom tried to scream. Instead, his voice said "What? Am I not allowed to visit my sister?"

"Chrom, if you wanted to do that you wouldn't have come during tea time." Lissa snorted.

"Alright, alright…" He sighed. "I needed to be sure of something."

"What's that?" Lissa asked.

" _If I can't say it out-right, maybe I can say it in a roundabout way?_ " Chrom hoped desperately. "I think there's something wrong with me."

"You're going to have to be more specific." Lissa quipped with a smirk.

"I think I'm cursed." He said bluntly. He was surprised he could actually say that, but his hopes were dashed a moment later. "I've been having some strange feelings…"

"Let me guess. Robin, right?" Lissa asked while grinning.

" _NO!_ " Chrom thought. "Yes, how'd you know?" Is what he ended up saying.

"It's _obvious_." The girl laughed. "You've been attached at the hip."

If Chrom could have frowned, he would have. No they haven't. Why would Lissa say that? She's fairly perceptive…

" _No. She_ _wouldn't_ _say that. Not unless she's being forced to say it._ "

That was when Chrom realized his sister was just as much a puppet as he.

###

Despite the traumatic first incident, Chrom found that whatever 'curse' (as at the time he did not realize the control came from Robin) was actually rather lenient. It wanted him to act a certain way, but allowed him broad choice of means in _how_ to act that way. It was only when he tried to oppose the 'curse' that he fully loses control of himself.

Chrom discovered that the 'curse' made him conform to a certain personality. It was very similar to his actual personality, but more… stereotyped, and made him act as if he was acting out some weird romance with Robin.

At first Chrom wasn't sure if Robin was 'cursed' or not. He worried that she was forced to act out this romance as well ( _why_ someone would curse them to do this he wasn't sure, perhaps some perverted and nutty Grimleal is getting a kick out of it).

And then, one day, she said "Chrom… you like swords right?"

Chrom isn't actually partial to swords. It just so happens that Falchion is a sword, and it's because it's a legendary and indestructible weapon that Chrom uses it, _not_ because it's a sword.

However, to his surprise, he finds himself saying "why yes, I do!"

That's when he started suspecting Robin was responsible. A few weeks of testing revealed sometimes new restrictions in his curse were brought about by what Robin, and _only_ Robin, said.

That's where he finds himself now. It's been two months since he, Lissa, and presumably Frederick became puppets. Chrom is admittedly only _guessing_ that touch is what causes Robin's control over people. It's hard to be sure that anyone else is actually under her control either, because it relies on him judging very precisely what someone _should_ say in a certain circumstance.

For all he really knows, he's the _only_ one under her control.

On a both hopeful and worrisome note, it seems Robin may be unaware of her ability. On one hand that means she might be genuinely friendly, and her story of amnesia truthful. On the other hand… it means she doesn't know she's controlling him (and possibly others), which mean if he can't find a way to alert her then he might be under her control for the rest of his life.

That's a mildly terrifying prospect. There's also the chance that, if he _does_ fine a way to tell her, she might decide it's more fun to keep him under her control.

Chrom doesn't have much choice but to try and alert her though. If he's correct in his suspicions, than he's being controlled subconsciously to act as she _thinks_ he would act, so he just has to engineer a situation where it would be _appropriate_ in her mind for him to make a strange confession.

He just needs to figure out what that situation is, and how to engineer it without the mind control stopping him.

He doesn't anticipate it being very easy.

###

Apparently going to a bar and getting mildly drunk is in character for what Robin expects of him. That's good, because being drunk gives him a great excuse to talk about random things... like mind control.

First though, he needs to lead into that subject with something less absurd. He'll cater to her mind control in this case and play into the romance that's apparently expected of him.

"You're really beautiful you know." Chrom mumbles, intentionally slurring his words to seem more drunk than he actually is. "It's… _entrancing_."

"You flatter me." The girl says with an amused smirk. She's only had two drinks compared to Chrom's seven. She's a very calm and refined lady for the most part (which Chrom finds slightly amusing if her mind control is the manifestation of her subconscious, meaning she's actually a sappy romantic because that's how he's forced towards act to her).

It would be cute if she wasn't controlling him. Actually… no, it's still cute.

"It's true though!" He says with a wide, loopy smile. Again, he's playing this up as best he can. "It's like some sort of magic!"

"I'd like to think I don't need to resort to _magic_ to be attractive, Chrom." She chuckles.

Oh, the irony. "But it has to be!" He says jokingly. On the inside he's dead serious, but he has to present it jokingly to avoid the mind control stopping him. "Why else would I change so much?"

"Change?"

"Oh yes." Chrom says. He's _very_ thankful he can get away with saying this. "I never cared much for swords, or weapons in general before I met you."

"R-Really?" Robin says. She's visibly thrown off by this information. "That's… drastic."

"You make it…" Chrom slurs. "You make it sound like I have a choice!"

"You can't help liking what you like, when you like it, even if it's random?" Robin asks uncertainty.

"Yes." Chrom says. He didn't even have a _choice_ to try to say something else. He's guessing that she didn't think there was an alternative to saying yes, so he was forced to say yes. That's annoying, but it shouldn't matter. He's already planted a seed of doubt in her mind, and hopefully with her sharp mind she'll find out about her own powers.

Not that he won't try to spur that along at every opportunity, but if this rather out-of-place conversation didn't alert her to something, he doubts any of his other efforts are going to bear fruit.

###

Not much changes for about a month. Chrom finds the control over him is generally lesser. Perhaps that conversation opened Robin up to the idea that he is not what is stereotypically expected of a 'noble prince', and therefore her subconscious control has slackened.

The forced romance doesn't stop. Chrom still finds himself forced to act the part of a gallant prince and suitor (though that's hardly unpleasant. Chrom doesn't hold any particular grudge against the girl, he's firmly of the opinion she's doing all of this unintentionally at this point, otherwise she probably would have taunted him when he dropped the hint).

During that month the Shepherds start to deal with increasingly large Risen outbreaks. Thankfully Robin's control doesn't impact his ability to fight, and she is a genuinely good tactician.

Chrom absently wonders how many Shepherds are under her sway, how many of them are _aware_ they're under her sway, and how many are trying to fight it or find a way out.

Actually… Robin shook hands with Emmeryn at one point. Is the _Exalt_ under her control? That's a worrisome thought.

The prince can't do anything about Robin's control, but he can still lead and do his usual duties without restriction (maybe Robin knows nothing about those duties, so she has no expectations and therefore imposes no restrictions).

" _Maybe Miriel, if she's controlled, can do something about this. She's smart, she'll probably find a way to alert Robin or break the control on her own_."

###

Suddenly, it's gone. Robin's control is lifted without any warning in the middle of the day when the Shepherds were recuperating in Ylisstol.

It feels to Chrom he just had several cups of coffee. He feels strangely _alive_. The feeling lasts for only a few minutes, but Chrom has very little doubt what it means.

"Robin, you mind controlled me." He says under his breath. The girl isn't there, he's just testing that he isn't stopped. He isn't, so… either Robin found a way to stop the control, or she's _dead_.

Chrom really hopes she's not dead. He drops what he was doing (training on his own) and makes a dash for where he knows Robin was supposed to be: the grand library.

To his surprise, he meet a few other Shepherds doing something similar. He runs into Frederick, Miriel, and Sully at the entrance. They all share a look of silent understanding, and move into the library to find Robin.

It doesn't take too long. It's not like she was _hiding_. They find her sitting at a large table, surrounded by numerous books, looking totally exhausted.

"That was fast." She says by way of greeting. She gives them a tired, unsure smile. "Hello Chrom, Frederick, Miriel, Sully. Umm… nice to meet you?"

Frederick's jaw clenches, as does his grip on his iron sword. He doesn't look like he knows what to say. Sully seems similarly torn between being angry and being confused. Miriel… she just looks curious.

"Hello Robin." Chrom says, deciding to take initiative. "Erm… Naga above, where to start?"

"Sorry about that." Robin says without further preamble. "I suppose you're here because of the mind control."

"Indeed." Miriel nods. "Quite a curious and unprecedented ability… and you can do this effortlessly?"

Chrom is silently thankful Miriel spoke before Frederick or Sully. He doubts they'll be as nice.

"I think so?" Robin frowns. "Honestly, I don't know how it works. Is it touch? Is it just people who stay around me for a long time? Is it a subconscious spell I'm casting? I don't know. I'm _lucky_ I found out how to stop it."

"Which is…?" Frederick growls.

"Actually grasping the magic I'm using." Robin sighs. "It's like… riding a horse. It's not too hard once you grasp it, but you _do_ have to grasp it, otherwise the horse does whatever it wants without any regard for your wishes."

"So what you're tryna say is, this ain't your fault?" Sully says in a low, suspicious tone.

"Exactly." Robin says. "Though I do apologize for the _issues_ and stress my powers may have caused. I assure you, it was completely unintentional. I was not joking about my amnesia. The mind control was just as much a surprise to me when I found out than it must have been to you to experience it."

"You presume much." Frederick says coldly. He glances at Chrom. "Milord-"

"We're not throwing her in the dungeon Frederick, nor are we kicking her out of the Shepherds." He says immediately. "I trust that her control was not intentional. I will not punish someone for something they had little reason to suspect until they were alerted of it."

Frederick bites back whatever he was going to say.

"Oh thank Naga." Robin sighs. It's as if a weight is lifted from her shoulders, and she relaxes back into her chair. "Honestly, I was considering taking an extra day or two to prepare myself for the backlash I'd get from you all, but I felt I should release you as soon as I figured out how."

"Much appreciated." Miriel murmurs. "I hope you do not mind, I would like to run some tests on your ability to determine its exact functioning."

"I will _gladly_ comply… _after_ I sleep." She murmurs. "I haven't slept since we got here."

"Then do so." Chrom says firmly. "I'll deal with the Shepherds. You take a rest, alright? You can talk to everyone over dinner."

"Thank you." The lady doesn't even bother to go to her room or leave her spot. She curls up on the couch, pulls her hood down over her face, and promptly closes her eyes.

Chrom goes and pulls the curtains closed to give her a small measure of darkness, and then turns to the three other Shepherds. "I know you all have issues with her right now, but they can wait. This was _not_ her fault." Chrom says firmly, and stares Frederick and Sully in the eyes. "No matter how much you may want it to be."

Frederick looks offended for a moment, pauses, then sighs in deep reluctance. He knows his lord is right. "Of course Milord. My pardon."

"Fuck no! Of _course_ it's her fault! She did this!" Sully snaps.

"If I knock over something right behind a door that I had no way of knowing was there, would you blame me for that?"

"Well no…" The knight says reluctantly.

"This is the exact same thing." Chrom says firmly. "Just on a bigger scale."

Sully still looks _furious_ , but she backs down. Chrom turns his gaze to Miriel, and pauses.

"I presume I don't have to explain anything to you?" He asks. He trusts Miriel's intelligence and general moral sensibilities, so he doesn't think he'll need to talk to her like the others.

"I understand the situation. You need not fear emotional action on my part." Miriel nods.

"Good." Chrom sighs. "Now, let's go find out who else was affected…"

* * *

 **Stopping here. This idea has potential methinks. You could do something a** _ **lot**_ **darker with this power, or even this setup of Robin not knowing she has this power. I honestly considered writing the story where Robin is never made aware of her ability, and ends up controlling** _ **everyone**_ **she comes in contact with over time.**

* * *

 **bwburke94** **:** Fixed.

 **Half-beastdragnsoul2013** **:** Indeed. I thought of that halfway through. I can totally see Owain emulating this.

 **LoveGlutton** **:** It was certainly something different to write Robin this way.

I figured it was fitting considering all those smut books I have her read. :P

 **ARSLOTHES** **:** Never watched that movie. Never played that game. Sorry. If you can narrow down the idea to just the _concept_ though I might be able to add it to the list.

 **Dragon Tag** **:** Noted, changed.

 **bauers374** **:** I'll add it to the list but… really I don't expect to _ever_ do that. Hairy Roaring Robin isn't something I particularly care to write.

 **Darkness is complete** **:** Sure. Minor quirk, so don't expect it to be the focus of a chapter.

 **LoveGlutton** **:** It's a long one for sure, and a bit more coherent than my usual style I think.

I wanted to make Emmeryn not a moron for once, so I tried something new.

 **Cyberchao X :** :D


	55. Fashion Designer Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **Minor: Dark Flier, Immortal, Boxer (Pugilist), Exploitive, Swordmaster, Angry Cinnamon Roll, Tripping, Perpetual Cheer, Chef, Blacksmith, Pegasus Knight, Teacher, Librarian, Masochist, Literal-Minded, Authoritative, Middle Age, Wyvern Rider, Phobia, Thicc, Tsundere, Damsel in Distress, Gangrel's Child, Wyvern Rider, Child, Communist, Bomber, Bear Cavalry, Flying, ADHD, Super Strength, Patriotic, Martial Artist, Scottish, Sassy, One Liner, Seamstress, Shephard, Speedy, Cool, Shy, Bookworm, Mercenary, Sweet, Kung Fu, Buff, Lazy, Wingless Flight.**

 **Standard: Elemental, Deaf, Foreign, Future sight, Nurse/Medic, Valmese Tactician, Medusa, Amazon, Genderfluid, Gift from Validar + evil to good, Mimic, Emotionless, Crippling Overspecialization (Idiot Savant), Coward, ESP, POW, PTSD, Magician, Mute, Handicapped, Secret Helper, Crazy, Morpher, Dreamwalker, Motherly, Twins, Regenerating, Animal Whisperer, Naga/Tiki Assistant, Deadly Touch, Mind Reader, Doppelganger, Arachne, D &D magic, Umbramancer, Horror Monster, Dominatrix, Songstress, Kinky, Matchmaker, Androphobic, Illusionist, Attraction Aura, Ring Maker, Therapist, Teleporting, Crippled, Puppet, Broken, Hallucination, Depressed, Bodyguard, Slave, Love Curse, Detective.**

 **Unlikely: Chrom's child, Minotaur, Paladin, Werewolf, Assassin, Future Soldier, Bounty Hunter, Weather control, Kleptomaniac, Druid, Steampunk, Shadow Familiar, Magic Augmentation, Lucky, Exile, Piper (Charmer), Gladiator, Witch Doctor, Centaur, Drunk, Demon, Punk, Harpy, Revenant, Luck Manipulation, Demon Summoner, Megalomaniac, Kitsune, King of Plegia, Mood Ring, Reverse Aging, Hammerspace, Prostitute, Demon Hunter, Cyborg, Maid/Servant/Butler, Deadlord, Rebellion, Einherjar, Trap, Yandere, Living Weapon, Size Shifter, Queen of Plegia, Gluttonous, Stretchy, Ninja, Alchemist, Protoss, Spirit Manipulation, Invisible, Plegian Honor Guard, Mecha, Kryptonian, Creator, Orc, Memory Stealing Respawn, Racer, Khan, Misfortune, Vampire Hunter, Geokinetic, Imaginary Actualization, Death, Resurrection, Force, Merchant, Background Music, Variable, Civilian, Natural Disaster, Mental Noise Projection, Hidden OP, Summoner, Cyclops, Teleporter, Cryokinetic, Genie, Judge, Intangibility, Fortune Teller, Future Vision, Serial Killer, Pervert, Magic Fixit, Drakengard Restoration, Ying-Yang, Childhood Friend, Cyberpunk, Chrom's Mother, Obsessed, Berserker, Phase Shift, Gravity Manipulation, Hallucinating, Bladesoul, Zombie, Double Entendre, Shared Body/Two Souls, Cannibal, Singer, Violent, Insane, Waterbender, Casanova, Cupid, Undertaker, Master Thief, Guard, Faceless, Shadow, Age Control, Cradle Snatcher, Emo, Singer, Nun, Courier, Haunted Knight Armor, Egyptian, Sentient Object, Shit Lord, Court Wizard, Naga's sibling, Mad Queen, Artist, Predator, Cheshire Cat, Radio Host, Chimera, Wendigo, Witch, Symbiote, Hivemind, Hammerspace, Anna, Mother Nature, Psychopath, Stripper, Painting, Grima Parts, Knightmare, Super, Swimsuit, Bunny Outfit, One Punch, Idol, Chef, Rampage, Housewife, Determination, Vessel of Naga, Instant Expert, Time Travel.**

 **Other: Self-insert, Second Generation replacement, Dimensional Walker, Cycle, Fates.**

 **Fashion Designer Robin. I lost whoever suggested it, so whoever you are, here you go.**

* * *

"Robin, please…"

"Just a moment longer Milady."

Maribelle sighs and continues to stiffly hold her arms out to the side while Robin takes a variety of measurements which Maribelle is fairly sure are unnecessary. He's gone well above what other tailors would _bother_ to measure. She knows artists are picky about their methods, but this is absurd.

"Alright." Robin says after a moment, and pulls away his measuring thread. Most tailors in Maribelle's experience use a measuring stick, but Robin instead used a marked thread to get his numbers. "Now, please, if you wouldn't mind walking across the room and back?"

Maribelle frankly has no idea what this has to do with making her a dress. Maybe she should have gone to her usual tailor, but she'll admit she was curious as to Robin's skills. So, despite thinking this is absurd and unnecessary, she obliges his strange request.

"Stop." Robin says suddenly. "Stay like that, don't move."

The lady of Themis breathes a long, deep, resigned sigh as Robin studiously measures the distance between her legs in her stride, and other such minor details. "I feel like I'm being scrutinized for one of Miriel's studies Robin."

"Fashion and science are not so different." Robin murmurs without pausing from his work. "In order to get the best results, precise measurements and knowledge of _everything_ you are working with is necessary. All the minute details must be taken into account, no facet left unexplored… speaking of which."

" _Oh what now?_ "

"I must ask you to sit down now." Robin says. "There are still more measurements I need."

" _Naga save me. It's already been ten minutes! How many more measurements could he possibly want?_ "

###

"It was truly absurd." Maribelle huffs. "I have never felt so much like an _object_ in my entire life."

"That bad, huh?" Lissa asks nervously.

"Well… I know he's an artist, and a perfectionist at that." Maribelle sighs. "I don't _resent_ his behaviour per say. I simply think he is being extreme."

"Oh."

"And truly, if I did not know he was focused purely on measurements, I would have slapped him several times…" The lady murmurs and shakes her head. "That man pays no mind to what is acceptable behaviour sometimes."

"Yeah." Lissa has seen Robin's… _interesting_ behaviour before. She remembers when he met Nowi. His first response had been to pick her up off the ground and heavily scrutinize her skimpy outfit.

Surprisingly, he had _praised_ the mankete's outfit for being fitting to her personality, and very creative in its design (although, he had noted, not very practical). Nowi had just been weirded out by this random man staring very intently at her body.

Socially conscious Robin is not. At least he was polite, or else Nowi probably would have fried him on the spot.

"It is truly incredible how much information he took on me though. I would truly like to look through the information he took on me."

"What do you think he took down?"

"The usual, as well as stranger things like the length of my stride when walking, the straightness of my spine when sitting down, how far apart my legs are at various points when standing and walking…"

"Oh, uh, okay, that _is_ weird."

"He is… _meticulous_."

###

"Another project?" Chrom asks in amusement. He came to Robin's tent to see the man for some advice, only to see him in the midst of an intense designing session. "Who this time?"

"Maribelle." The man says curtly. His long burgundy hair, despite being pulled back in a ponytail, is slick with sweat, and his orange eyes don't leave his work. He has his special mannequin with adjustable proportions to allow him to make and test dresses very precisely. The mannequin currently only has a fairly unremarkable gold bottom layer on, the layer designed for comfort rather than appearance because it's not meant to be seen. "What it is Chrom?"

"I just need advice." He says with an amused smile. "We have the choice between two paths coming back to Ylisstol. One is a bit more bandit infested than the other, and only quicker overall by a few hours."

"You want to know if it's fine to go looking for trouble." Robin says bluntly. "You want to go fight more bandits."

"Guilty as charged." Chrom chuckles. "What's your verdict?"

"Mmm." Robin humms. He grabs one of his three of four different scissors (Chrom doesn't know the difference for the life of him) and cuts through a thin layer of yellow fabric with one fluid motion. "I have no qualms with it. The fewer bandits the better. It is our job after all. Just check with Emmet to make sure we have the supplies for it. More combat means more bandages, more wear on our weapons, more food to re-energize, and so on."

"Right. Thanks for the advice Robin."

"Yes, yes…" Robin says absently. "Sorry, if you don't have anything more to say, could you leave? I need to focus."

"Right." Chrom says with a smile. He knows Robin doesn't mean to be rude, he's just being upfront. "Best of luck with your work."

"Luck?" Robin scoffs quietly as the prince leaves. "There's no luck about it. I'm a master. I don't need _luck_."

###

"Aesthetic buttons, hmm…" Robin muses as he gazes intently at Lissa, who is currently trying bothering Stahl. The girl is totally oblivious at the moment to the tactician's scrutiny. The man has a sketchpad in one hand, and quickly scribbles a few rough concepts onto the page. "Maybe on the bust of a dress? That might get in the way of bending over though, unless it's small, maybe weave a ribbon through the holes in the middle. On the upper back could work too. Bending backwards isn't usually necessary…"

"People watching, are we?" Virion asks the man, and tries to peer over his shoulder.

"Mostly outfit watching. Though I suppose the people matter so much as they explain the choice of outfit, and the outfit can serve to accentuate that personality." Robin mutters, and covers his sketchpad. "Go make your sketches. An artist does not share his designs until he's used them, or decided he will not."

"My, prickly, aren't we?"

"I must remain one step ahead of the competition. I will not allow my ideas to be exposed and stolen before I've had chance to exploit them…"

"What competition good sir? We are in the middle of farmland. What person could I possibly tell?"

"You could use a bird to send a message." Robin says suspiciously. "I know you have a bird. I've seen you using it before."

"Oh." Virion sounds genuinely surprised. "You have?"

"I was studying your outfit when you walked off, so I followed you." Robin says simply. "You rely heavily on no one actually caring enough to look for you."

"Indeed… you are far more perceptive than I gave your credit for." Virion says approvingly.

"I'm fairly sure I'm normal for any competent tactician." Robin says calmly.

"You would be surprised." Virion chuckles.

"If I ever am, then I will be extremely disappointed alongside being surprised."

###

"Orange or gold… what shade…?" Robin frowns. "Or maybe a different color entirely? This dress is looking rather monochrome, and that's not the best for a fancy dress."

Robin clicks his tongue in frustration. He got too over-eager and forgot his steps. He should have planned this more before starting _anything_. Master indeed. He can't claim that title after making such an amateur mistake.

"White?" He mutters while sketching with his colored ink. "Red? Green? Blue…?"

Blue would be a risk. It's the exact opposite of the gold and yellow colors he's currently using. Opposing colors _can_ compliment, but they can also clash horribly if you don't use them carefully.

" _Some_ contrast is needed, but where and how? Maybe colored ruffles? Ribbons? No, no, ribbons don't seem like they'd fit Maribelle." The designer muses. "Embroidery? Hmm… maybe."

Robin makes a few detailed drawings, trying out a few colors and concepts. He eventually settles on using white, so as to give Maribelle a dress like Lissa's. She'll probably like that. He'll give her white gloves… and maybe also the bodice and a strip down the center of the dress as well. It will make the abundant gold and yellow less overwhelming if it's spaced out by the white.

"Okay, okay…" Robin nods. He adjusts his original concept for the dress _again_. "Hmm… how am I supporting this?" He consults his notes. "She has long strides, so if I have a full coraline underneath it might get in the way of her walking. Can I get away with only part of one? Maybe just the sides?"

"Robin."

The man looks up at the entrance of his tent. "Hmm? Yes?"

"It's past midnight." Frederick sighs. "You _must_ sleep. I expect your light to be out by the time I've made my next round."

"Fine, fine…" Robin grumbles. He flips to a fresh page, and frantically starts scribbling down every idea that crosses his mind. Usually he'd just sketch out the ideas, but apparently Frederick won't give him that time.

He only barely gets everything written down and his lantern extinguished by the time Frederick comes back around.

###

"Hmm…"

"Can you _not_?" Severa scowls at the man scrutinizing her. On the inside she's actually freaking out, but she's not going to show that.

"Green, blue, or red?" Robin asks suddenly.

"What? What do you mean?"

"What do you like more, green, blue, or red?" Robin repeats.

"Uh… blue?"

"Alright. I can work with that…" The tactician says. He pulls out a sketchbook. "Blue…"

"Robin, I think you're intimidating her." Chrom chuckles.

"I am _not_ scared." Severa snaps while crossing her arms.

"Hmm, no, your body language says otherwise." Robin mutters. "Chrom is right."

Severa's face blushes in embarrassment and indignation. "W-Well screw you too!" she shouts and quickly retreats from this strange situation.

"Hmm. Did I do something?" The tactician frowns. "Shame. I want to make a dress for her. Her hair will make for a nice picture… I have ideas."

"You might want to try _not_ invading her personal space." Chrom sighs.

"Ah, right. I should ask first." Robin nods.

"About that…" The prince says slowly. "Erm… how to say this…"

"Be blunt. It's easier."

"Right. So, erm, you know how you take measurements for the garments you make, right?"

"Yes?"

"Well… you may want to consider a female assistant for taking measurements with your female clients."

Roblin blinks a few times, confused. "Why?"

Chrom didn't think he'd actually have to explain this. "Because it's awkward for them to have a man measuring them, especially when you're measuring things like their… uh… chest."

"It is?"

"Yes, Robin, it is."

"Why?"

Chrom doesn't know what to say about that. "Because of… erm… societal norms? Embarrassment as well. I bet if you asked Miriel she'd say 'sexual tension' or something."

"Right." Robin's expression still conveys that he doesn't get it. "Is this the whole 'attractiction' thing?"

"What?" Now _that's_ an odd question. "Sort of. I don't know the psychology of it exactly, but… yes, I think."

"Okay. Because I don't get it." Robin says bluntly. "I've heard other Shepherds talk about romance, and 'liking' other people in a romantic or sexual sense and… I don't get it. I don't think I feel whatever they feel. Is this why what I do is embarrassing for others, but I don't feel it?"

Chrom takes a long minute to process what he's hearing. He needs this to be clarified before he makes a statement though. "To be clear, you don't feel _lust_ , right?"

"I don't think so. I've never desired someone… well, not beyond _artistic_ appreciation of their form."

"Okay." Chrom glances around, making sure no one is in earshot. "Robin. Do you feel sexual attraction of _any_ sort? Towards _anything_?"

"Not that I'm aware."

"Okay. Okay…"

"Is that bad?"

"No, just not standard. It's not a _problem_ , just relatively rare." Chrom says. He's trying to phrase this diplomatically, he really doesn't feel like he's the one who should be explaining this. "Unless I'm getting something wrong, I think you're asexual."

Robin tilts his head, considering this information. "I never gave much thought to my own attractions. I suppose that _does_ fit me rather well. How curious."

"So, uh, my main point was… women sometimes find being measured by a guy uncomfortable, so maybe get some help from someone for doing that. Also, don't randomly invade people's personal space."

"I'll defer to your expertise." Robin nods.

Chrom would hesitate to call himself an expert, but as long as Robin stops accidentally creeping people out, it doesn't really matter. "Good. Thank you for understanding Robin."

###

"So wait, you just want to make me a dress?" Severa asks suspiciously.

"Indeed. Though I will only be able to start it's construction after I finish the one for Maribelle." Robin says. "Do you accept? I realize my intent was not conveyed very well earlier, but I truly only wish to make a dress."

"Well…" The girl says slowly. "Is it free or…?"

"Yes." Robin says. "It is art for me, and your word of support later if need be to vouch for my skills."

Well, Severa isn't about to turn down a free dress. "Sure. I accept."

"Good." The man smiles. "Of course, I'll need measurements. I don't currently have a female assistant for such things, so if you have a friend you are comfortable around to aid in the process…?"

"Oh, sure." Severa's mind goes over her options. "Hmm… Noire."

"Alright. Are you both free _now_?"

"Should be. I'll go ask Noire."

###

"Hmm… I've seen this before." Robin realizes. He's working on the design of the dress for Maribelle again. "Where have I seen this? What am I referencing?"

He is, of course, referring to his idea to split Maribelle's dress down the center with a white section. It's not like he made up that idea, it's just one of many ideas in his toolkit, but he realized he was pulling from a _specific_ reference without realizing it earlier.

"It's not from Lissa. Lissa's outfit doesn't quite have that." Robin frowns. "Not the mage outfit. Not Tharja… ah! Emmeryn! That's it, that's what I was thinking of when I made that." He quickly jots that down next to his sketches. "Huh, I'm pulling from _both_ exalted ladies for this concept. I suppose there are worse references."

He also suspects Maribelle will be fully onboard with having a dress similar to her best friend and the Exalt's.

"With that in mind… do I want to make the inspiration more obvious?" Robin asks himself out loud. He could outright take certain elements if he wanted. Robin avoided a bustier with this design, but if he wanted he could add one like Lissa has, or maybe take some pattern elements from Emmeryn's robes.

Reference? Or originality? What's more important? Both have strengths, but both can backfire.

"Hmm… in this case… I'm making these for the art." Robin reminds himself. "Originality. It's not like there isn't any connection. I've already included several intentionally and otherwise as it is…"

With all of that out of the way, Robin finalizes his design. There's actually three designs he's torn on, but they're all relatively similar. He can make everything underneath, as it's all the same, and make three different top layers to see them in the flesh (so to speak) before deciding.

Yes, that works. He has a few hours before sundown. He can get started right now.

"Robin, you are _not_ skipping dinner again." Chrom sighs as he pushes aside the entrance to the man's tent.

Okay, maybe dinner first. _Then_ work.

###

"Tch…" Robin huffs. "I was working, and they just had to interrupt."

"I'm fairly sure the Risen don't care about your tailoring Robin."

"Excuse you, I do more than _just_ tailoring." Robin huffs.

"Yes, and they care less than I do." Chrom sighs.

"You disappoint me." The tactician sighs. "Five myrmidons at our two o'clock. Leapfrog?"

"Leapfrog." Chrom agrees. Both of them charge at the Risen. Chrom strikes first with a massive horizontal swipe that would seem to leave him wide open… if it were not for Robin following up behind him with a massive slash of his own with his steel sword. The two repeat this rotation, using massive attacks that would be impractical on their own to cover the other's overswing in a repetitive motion that sees both fighters constantly advancing to protect the other.

And because Risen are stupid and reckless, it's a crazily effective tactic.

"You have no appreciation for art."

"No, I just don't care for fashion."

"Tsk…"

"Oh please, don't tsk me." Chrom snorts. "It's not my thing. Just because I'm royalty, doesn't mean I care for fashion."

"You're lucky you can rely on _tradition_ to give you outfits…" Robin mutters. "Putting good designers out of work."

"Oh _please_." The prince laughs. "There's enough noble ladies looking for custom dresses that I doubt any half-decent designer is going out of work anytime soon."

"That's what you think." The tactician scoffs. "Four mercenaries, twelve o'clock."

"Right."

###

"Oh my." Maribelle breathes. "I'll admit, it's not what I was expecting… but I am impressed."

Robin smiles pridefully as the duchess of Themis inspects the dress. The final design he went with was one less _flashy_ than the others. He scrapped the idea of having extensive embroidery or patterns on the dress in favor of adding bands around the waist (like her standard outfit) and adding ruffles around the chest area on the second layer.

At a glance, the dress is a drop-waist ball gown with a special white shawl that drops down to ankle length in a straight line at the front and back. The shawl is the white section dividing the otherwise yellow gown (along with the gloves and high-heeled boots), and there are certain sections like the shoulders and the bands around the stomach that are made of gold to add a bit of change as well, though it's certainly not as pronounced due to gold and yellow being similar colors. Also, there is only a partial coraline underneath that doesn't fully extend in front or behind the legs, making the outer parts of the bottom of the dress round while the center and back are more flat and a bit shorter so the hems won't accidentally be stepped on. It also gives the gown a unique shape rather than just being circular.

All-in-all it's a rather simple design, if unorthodox for a gown. Usually ball gowns don't have shawls or boots. The shawl also gives it a high neckline and no cleavage whatsoever, which is a bit unusual for a ball gown from what Robin is aware, but he doesn't figure Maribelle will care that much if it's _less_ revealing.

"May I try it?"

"Of course. It's your dress." Robin says. He carefully removes it from the mannequin and hands it to her. "You may need help tying up the back, but otherwise you should be able to manage on your own."

Seeing Maribelle in the gown really completes the project for Robin. He nods to himself in approval. It's not perfect, but really, when is _anything_ perfect? He can spy a thing or two that he can improve on, but it's not a bad job altogether. The lady walks about the tent in the dress, testing how it feels, and nods approvingly. "This is quite well done Robin, thank you."

"Of course." Robin says with a bow. "If I may say so, you paint quite a nice picture that dress."

"Well I would hope so." Maribelle huffs. "Or you haven't designed the dress very well, hmm?"

"Quite true." The tactician agrees. "In that case I shall be so prideful as to congratulate myself on a job well done."

"Good." The lady smiles. "I simply cannot wait to show this off at a ball…"

Robin grins. _He_ can't wait for the good word Maribelle will spread. Hopefully, with her influence, he can start establishing a customer base for when this war is over…

* * *

 **I dunno when in the Awakening timeline this is, or if it even fits into the timeline anywhere, but whatever. I enjoyed writing this one. Originally this was actually gonna center around Severa rather than Maribelle, but Maribelle just fit better to be in the spotlight here. Had to feature Severa a** _ **bit**_ **though.**

* * *

 **Darklight of the 0 arcana** **:** Yep! That's what I was going for.

I've heard of Fate/Stay Night, but I've never seen it, so I'm afraid I don't know what you mean by 'servant' (as I assume that's special somehow).

 **N-Lorin** **:** It's a fine line to walk when writing Chrom. He's supposed to be a trusting character, and as I see him he's not one to blame someone for something they were completely unaware of and had no reason to suspect. As for everyone else… yeah, you're probably right.

 **bauers374** **:** Well there was a _lot_ of people under mind-control, but some didn't know where Robin was at the moment, and some didn't know Robin was responsible, and some just didn't want to go rushing to confront someone who could easily re-establish that control if she felt like it. I put Lissa into that second category.

 **Darkness is complete** **:** That idea poses so many issues in story writing… but sure. I'll put it on the list. I do like the idea. It's just that it's quite possibly a story-breaker.

 **Guest (X5)** **:** Chrom has his priorities straight!

You do know the Shepherds act as a vanguard in war already, right? Either way Vanguard Robin would literally just be 'Robin who fights on the front line' (of which I have made several already).

Feeling bad for _Robin_? Lol. Honestly didn't expect that.

 **pofehof** **:** I mean, sure. If you want to assume Robin is secretly manipulating them all still, go ahead. Makes for a cool headcanon.

 **Dragon Tag** **:** _Probably_ not. I have other things I want to do in the future, and doing a repeat of The Robin Variable (probably including a lot of the same quirks) might get boring. I could be convinced to open up _Varied Awakenings_ to Fates suggestions though… hmm… might have to rename the collection though.

 **bauers374** **:** I don't think that fits for this collection. Cool idea, I'm putting that down for Varied Awakenings, but it doesn't fit The Robin Variable.

 **Jay Hayden** **:** Nice to see that you understand both sides here.

Time Travel huh. Now that's a story breaker if not handled well, and I don't think I can handel it well. I have Savepoint Robin that deals with a variant of that (she can set marks in time, and then rewind time to the last mark), but I think proper time travel is just too much of a mess to use. I'll put it down in unlikely in case I come up with something (maybe a Robin bored with life and people in general because he can just time travel at will?).


	56. Motherly Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **Minor: Dark Flier, Immortal, Boxer (Pugilist), Exploitive, Swordmaster, Angry Cinnamon Roll, Tripping, Perpetual Cheer, Chef, Blacksmith, Pegasus Knight, Teacher, Librarian, Masochist, Literal-Minded, Authoritative, Wyvern Rider, Phobia, Thicc, Tsundere, Damsel in Distress, Gangrel's Child, Wyvern Rider, Child, Communist, Bomber, Bear Cavalry, Flying, ADHD, Super Strength, Patriotic, Martial Artist, Scottish, Sassy, One Liner, Seamstress, Shephard, Speedy, Cool, Shy, Bookworm, Mercenary, Sweet, Kung Fu, Buff, Lazy, Wingless Flight.**

 **Standard: Elemental, Deaf, Foreign, Future sight, Nurse/Medic, Valmese Tactician, Medusa, Amazon, Genderfluid, Gift from Validar + evil to good, Mimic, Emotionless, Crippling Overspecialization (Idiot Savant), Coward, ESP, POW, PTSD, Magician, Mute, Handicapped, Secret Helper, Crazy, Morpher, Dreamwalker, Twins, Regenerating, Animal Whisperer, Naga/Tiki Assistant, Deadly Touch, Mind Reader, Doppelganger, Arachne, D &D magic, Umbramancer, Horror Monster, Dominatrix, Songstress, Kinky, Matchmaker, Androphobic, Illusionist, Attraction Aura, Ring Maker, Therapist, Teleporting, Crippled, Puppet, Broken, Hallucination, Depressed, Bodyguard, Slave, Love Curse, Detective, Geokinetic.**

 **Unlikely: Chrom's child, Minotaur, Paladin, Werewolf, Assassin, Future Soldier, Bounty Hunter, Weather control, Kleptomaniac, Druid, Steampunk, Shadow Familiar, Magic Augmentation, Lucky, Exile, Piper (Charmer), Gladiator, Witch Doctor, Centaur, Drunk, Demon, Punk, Harpy, Revenant, Luck Manipulation, Demon Summoner, Megalomaniac, Kitsune, King of Plegia, Mood Ring, Reverse Aging, Hammerspace, Prostitute, Demon Hunter, Cyborg, Maid/Servant/Butler, Deadlord, Rebellion, Einherjar, Trap, Yandere, Living Weapon, Size Shifter, Queen of Plegia, Gluttonous, Stretchy, Ninja, Alchemist, Protoss, Spirit Manipulation, Invisible, Plegian Honor Guard, Mecha, Kryptonian, Creator, Orc, Memory Stealing Respawn, Racer, Khan, Misfortune, Vampire Hunter, Geokinetic, Imaginary Actualization, Death, Resurrection, Force, Merchant, Background Music, Variable, Civilian, Natural Disaster, Mental Noise Projection, Hidden OP, Summoner, Cyclops, Teleporter, Cryokinetic, Genie, Judge, Intangibility, Fortune Teller, Future Vision, Serial Killer, Pervert, Magic Fixit, Drakengard Restoration, Ying-Yang, Childhood Friend, Cyberpunk, Chrom's Mother, Obsessed, Berserker, Phase Shift, Gravity Manipulation, Hallucinating, Bladesoul, Zombie, Double Entendre, Shared Body/Two Souls, Cannibal, Singer, Violent, Insane, Waterbender, Casanova, Cupid, Undertaker, Master Thief, Guard, Faceless, Shadow, Age Control, Cradle Snatcher, Emo, Singer, Nun, Courier, Haunted Knight Armor, Egyptian, Sentient Object, Shit Lord, Court Wizard, Naga's sibling, Mad Queen, Artist, Predator, Cheshire Cat, Radio Host, Chimera, Wendigo, Witch, Symbiote, Hivemind, Hammerspace, Anna, Mother Nature, Psychopath, Stripper, Painting, Grima Parts, Knightmare, Super, Swimsuit, Bunny Outfit, One Punch, Idol, Chef, Rampage, Housewife, Determination, Vessel of Naga, Instant Expert, Time Travel.**

 **Other: Self-insert, Second Generation replacement, Dimensional Walker, Cycle, Fates.**

 **Hmm… this chapter was intended to be Broken Robin… but I found that concept surprisingly hard to work with. I had a concept prepared and everything, but the story just felt** _ **off**_ **. Maybe some other time.**

 **For this chapter then… hmm… Motherly Robin, suggested by… someone who I forgot to write down. So, uh, here you go whoever you are. Also Middle-aged Robin, suggested by ThirtyK94.**

* * *

"Robin, please don't suffocate my sister." Chrom chuckles.

"I'm fine Robin, really." Lissa laughs hoarsely.

"Oh, dear…" Robin murmurs sympathetically as she massages the girl's back, all while still holding the princess against her in a tight hug. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure." The girl mumbles. She laughs again, still hoarse, when the older woman wipes away the tear tracks on the side of her face. "Thanks Robin."

Robin releases the smaller girl from her gasp. Chrom's joke about the tactician suffocating Lissa was due to their relative size as Robin is a tall and somewhat large woman, so any hug by someone smaller than her usually ends up with that person's face buried in her rather substantial bust.

One can make all the jokes they want about that, but it's true. Robin is six-foot-five, so she stands well above most other Shepherds, and she is a… decently _large_ woman too. She's… uh...

Chrom is struggling to find a proper way to describe her figure without being tactless, and tact has never been his strong suit. He'll just be blunt and say she's tall, got _quite_ large breasts, wide hips, is slightly pudgy overall, but has a deceptive amount of muscle hidden by that soft layer of fat. She also has long brown hair that goes down to her waist and deep chocolate eyes.

Miriel guesses, since Robin only has a memory going a few months back, that the lady is somewhere in her early forties.

"Now remember, you can come to me any time…" The tactician murmurs. She strokes Lissa's hair soothingly. "Alright dear?"

"I know. Thanks Robin." The princess smiles. "I should go find Maribelle, she's probably worried about me."

"Of course."

Lissa walks off back to camp. Chrom waits until she's out of sight before he speaks again. "Is she really fine?"

"She should be." Robin hums.

"You won't tell me what happened, will you?"

"Privacy is sacred." The tactician murmurs.

"Fair enough." Chrom sighs. "If there's anything I can do for her-"

"I'll tell you." Robin reassures. "I wouldn't worry though."

"If you say so."

###

"Uh, thank ya kindly Miss Robin." Donnel says gratefully. "I was in a doozy of a fight there."

"Your welcome dear." The tactician murmurs. She pulls out her staff for a moment and heals the boy's injuries before putting it away and re-drawing her positively massive axe. It's a strange-looking weapon though, with the handle being attached to the back of the axe head. Most people call it the 'imposing axe'. "Now follow me, we're going around the back. We can't let them escape."

"R-Right!"

The two of them sneak around the back of the village with Robin in the lead. The other squad of the Shepherds, lead by Chrom, are pushing the bandits out of the village. Robin wants to kill _all_ of them so they won't live to raid another village.

"Now dear, I know you're new to this." Robin whispers quietly. "So just stay behind me, alright? Attack where you can, but don't feel bad about letting me do the work."

"Th-Thank ye kindly Miss Robin." Donnel stammers. "B-But I gotta get used to this at some point! I'm fightin' by yer side!"

"Alright then. Be cautious." The tactician murmurs. "They'll be on us in a moment."

The villager boy takes a deep breath and raises his lance. He's not ready for this, but he _has_ to do it.

The first two bandits rush out of the forest while shouting back at the others to run. They don't even see Robin hiding behind a tree before her axe slashes their throats and heads open. The huge weapon is imprecise, but the sheer force behind it makes a hit _anywhere_ almost certain to be lethal.

"Two down." Robin hums. She wipes the blood off her axe using one of the bandit's clothes.

The other bandits aren't quite as oblivious. They notice Robin when she beheads one of their friends in another surprise attack. "What the hell?! Fuck you old lady!"

Robin suspects they'd say more, but they're both running and getting killed by her, so they don't have much breath to spare. Donnel also joins in the fight and sticks a few of them in the legs and trips them, which makes the poor bandits easy picking for Robin. She executes those who fall to the ground with ease.

"Well now, that was quite the workout." She hums when she sees Chrom and the others emerge from the village. All the bandits must be dead. She turns to Donnel. "Wouldn't you agree dear?"

"Y-Yeah, sure." Donnel says weakly. He's trying to hide how he's shaking a bit. "It's… uh… great."

"Oh…" Robin murmurs. She reaches out and pats the boy on the head. "It'll be alright. You'll get used to it."

"I-If you say so Miss Robin."

###

"Oho! So you is tactician Gregor has heard so much about." The mercenary says cheerfully. "Greetings, hello! Is Gregor! Am man who come with little dragon. Made just as much of impression, yes?"

"Well… I wouldn't quite say that." Robin smiles. She holds out a hand, which Gregor shakes enthusiastically. "But it is nice to meet you Gregor. My name is Robin."

"Is nice meeting you! Gregor was told you wanted be seeing him, yes? Do not suppose is for sharing of vodka yet… though Gregor would not complain if is the case! Share drink with lovely lady is sounding like good afternoon to Gregor!"

"My, I don't think I've been flirted with in a long time." Robin chuckles. "However, I'm afraid I asked to speak with you for a much more pragmatic reason. I must take stock of all the basic information of anyone who joins the Shepherds. Age, birth date, citizenship, residence, place of birth, and so on."

"Ah, Gregor is understanding. Will find no dishonesty with Gregor! Gregor has innocent baby face, see?"

"Yes, yes." Robin says with a roll of her eyes. "Let's begin, shall we?"

Taking basic information doesn't take long. Robin also goes over all the boring contractual stuff involved with being a part of the Shepherds, as well as explaining the chore rotations and how all the basics of military life work.

"Well alright, I think that's about it." The tactician hums and packs up her notes. "Thank you Gregor. Have you already been provided with a tent and the basic equipment?"

"Yes! Gregor has."

"We're done then." Robin smiles. "Dinner is in an hour Gregor, make sure to be at the mess tent by then."

"Gregor understand. So… is lovely tactician busy for hour?"

"No, I'm not." Robin says with an arched eyebrow.

Gregor pulls out a bottle with a cheeky grin. "Well, Gregor was not joking about vodka. Is willing to share!"

Robin blinks, laughs, and takes her seat again. "Well it's been awhile since I've a drink. A glass or two would be rather welcome. My thanks Gregor."

###

"Squishy squishy…" Nowi giggles as she hugs the tactician. "You're so squishy Robin!"

"I'll take that as a compliment." Robin chuckles. "Hello Nowi. Is there something you wanted?"

"A hug!" The manakete chirps. "People keep talking about how nice your hugs feel, so I had to get one too! It's just as nice as they said!"

"I wasn't aware my hugs were held in such high regard." The lady smiles. She threads her fingers through the girl's hair affectionately. "Lissa I presume? Donnel, Ricken?"

"All the above!" Nowi laughs. She nuzzles her face into the taller lady's bust, and Robin just chuckles. "Ooh, and I can see why… soft…"

"Thank you dear." Robin hums. "I have to prepare the morning briefing though."

"Aww…" Nowi pouts, and steps back from her. "Can I get another hug later?"

"Of course." The older lady chuckles. Robin really doesn't mind, she's more than happy to give _and_ receive free hugs. The only reason why she doesn't give more already is because most of the Shepherds seem like they'd be a bit too old to accept such a thing.

Robin couldn't tell you _why_ she's so fond of hugs. Maybe it has something to do with her forgotten past? Or maybe she's just a naturally affectionate person.

Either way, she won't argue with more hugs.

###

"Now now, no complaints." Robin scolds as she scoops the prince out of his chair. The boy blinks slowly in surprise. It takes a moment for him to start struggling against her which gives away his mental exhaustion. "Do stop struggling Chrom, you're not fit to keep working."

"Fine, fine, but I don't need to be carried!" He huffs. "Let me down Robin. I'm not a child."

"Ah, right." It's not that she _forgot_ , it just felt natural to scoop him up. Robin puts the prince back on the ground. "I expect you to go right to bed though."

"Yes _Mother_." Chrom grumbles. The lady puts her hands on her hips disapprovingly at his tone, and the prince cringes for a moment. "Sorry, I know you mean well. That was uncalled for."

"Sleep. _Now_."

"Okay, okay…"

Robin watches the prince leave for a moment to make sure he's actually going back to his tent, and only then does she move back to her own. The lady strips off her coat and carefully lays it next to her weapon before lying down in her own bedroll.

A thought wiggles in her brain as she tries to sleep though. Chrom was being surly when he called her 'mother', but that begs the question. She's certainly old enough to be a parent, and seeing as she doesn't remember her past, there's no saying she _doesn't_ have a child.

The thought that maybe someone they're fighting might end up being her own kid doesn't sit well with her. Her chest clenches painfully at the thought.

There's nothing she can do about it except hope that, if she does have a child, they'll recognize her and alert her _before_ she cuts their head off.

###

"Back woman!" Lon'qu growls. He feebly tries to shove the tactician away, but he's too exhausted to muster much strength.

"Oh hush." Robin tuts as she grabs and raises his arm. Lon'que hisses in pain, but goes still. "Don't be stubborn. You've literally worked yourself to exhaustion, and this is a nasty bruise." Robin gives a pointed look at Sully, who coughs and looks away sheepishly. "Now stay still and let me heal you dear."

"I don't need healing." Lon'qu growls.

"Tsk." Robin murmurs. She pulls her staff off her back with her other hand. "I know you're young, but that's no excuse for foolishness. Large bruises are plenty dangerous young man. That much internal bleeding is never good."

Healing doesn't restore energy, so while Lon'qu is no longer injured he's also still exhausted. So Robin does what she usually does and picks the boy up despite his protests.

"Are you giving out hugs again!?" Nowi shouts, and bounds into the training ring. Before Robin can answer the little girl leaps up and wraps her arms around the both of them as best she can.

Lon'qu lets out a noise that sounds like a bird being strangled, and Sully just laughs.

"Let. Me. Go." Lon'qu groans as Nowi happily nuzzles her face into his neck. "Please?"

"Now now…" Robin berates softly. "You're in no position to be making requests. You worked yourself to exhaustion. I'm carrying you, and you will just have to deal with it."

"Fine, but-"

"And Nowi can stay."

"Gah…"

"If you don't like it, don't be so foolish next time." Robin scolds. She readjusts her grip on the boy and starts marching through the camp to where she knows his tent is.

A few people turn and raise their eyebrows, but most just shake their heads and laugh before returning to whatever they were doing.

Robin finds Lon'qu's tent and places him on his bedroll. She also plucks Nowi off the man. "Now, I expect you to rest until dinner, understood? I'll come get you when it's time, but I expect to see you resting when that happens."

"Fine…" Lon'qu mutters in resignation. He _does_ need rest after that extremely long training session, and he did perhaps overdo it a bit. His arms, after a few moments of not using them, already feel like lead.

"If I don't find you here, I'll send Nowi after you." The tactician jokes.

"Rawr!" Nowi says with a grin.

"Fine, fine…" The myrmidon grumbles again.

Robin leaves, this time carrying Nowi who is more than happy to steal Lon'qu's spot. Robin is also more than happy to indulge the little manakete.

"Robin…" Nowi hums.

"Yes dear?"

"You really are like everyone's mom here, aren't you?"

"How so?"

"I mean, you look after everyone, you tend to carry us around without thinking about it when we're tired or sick, and you always give and allow hugs." Nowi says. "Like now! If I did this to anyone else, except maybe Gregor, they would get annoyed and tell me to go away."

"I'm fairly sure that last one has to do more with age than me being 'motherly'." Robin chuckles. "But I suppose that's all very true. I do consider it my job to keep you all safe and healthy."

"Like a mom!"

"I suppose so, yes." The lady says with a smile.

"You remind me of _my_ mom anyways." Nowi murmurs. "She wasn't as big as you, but she always let me cuddle and stuff just like you do."

There's a small pause as Robin thinks. Then she says: "you miss her."

"Yeah…" Nowi says in a softer, subdued tone. "You're warm just like she was though."

Robin rubs the girl on the back soothingly. "It's alright dear. I don't mind. Anytime you need."

"Thanks Robin…"

###

"Robin…"

"Yes?"

"I thought Nowi was exaggerating when she said you give the best hugs, but now I can confidently say she's right." The man chuckles hoarsely.

Robin knows Chrom is (poorly) attempting to recover from having a bit of an emotional breakdown. Emmeryn nearly died multiple times today, and so the whole royal family is a bit of a wreck.

"Nowi is always enthusiastic for physical affection, so I'm not surprised." Robin hums. "Are you feeling better Chrom?"

"Slightly." The prince says. His voice is still rough, but he can now pull himself upright rather than leaning into the lady. "Sorry."

"Sorry? Chrom…" Robin says in a scolding tone. "Needing the help of others is not something to say sorry for."

"No, no, not that." The boy sighs. "I'm sorry that _everyone_ relies on you. Your job as a tactician is not to help us all deal with our emotional trauma and babysit us, yet you do so anyways."

"That is _my_ choice Chrom." Robin reminds him. She ruffles his hair affectionately. "Now, perhaps you'd rather go see your sisters? I can't imagine they're faring any better than yourself, and having a family discussion might be prudent."

"Right, of course…" The prince says, and takes a deep breath. "Thank you Robin."

"Of course dear. Now get going."

###

"Perhaps friend Robin is wishing to drink with Gregor again?" The mercenary asks cheekily as he peeks into the strategy tent. "Gregor is having Feroxi firewhisky. Very strong! Good kick."

"Well, I have been working quite a bit lately…" Robin muses, and puts down her quill. "So yes, I'll take you up on your offer Gregor."

The two move over to Gregor's tent and sit down on a pair of stools. Gregor pulls out a fancy-looking bottle of whisky that must have been quite expensive. The mercenary pops open the bottle and pours each of them a small glass. "Gregor must be lucky, having convinced lovely lady to drink with him again!"

"You flatter me." Robin chuckles. "But I think I'm a bit too old to be considered 'lovely' anymore Gregor."

"Nonsense! Robin is still woman of much beauty and curves!" Gregor laughs. "You are not looking young, yes, but is foolish to think to think only young can be attractive. Look at Gregor, is he not picture of rugged handsomeness?"

"I suppose so."

The mercenary gives and exaggerated gasp of injury. "Oof! Not resounding support Gregor was hoping for!"

Robin hums in amusement. "Oh hush. You're not a supermodel, but you're perfectly handsome. There's no resounding support to give."

"Lovely lady is savage…"

"Gregor, you've seen me be savage. When I'm savage, I usually have my axe out."

"Very true! Gregor not arguing with that."

The two share another glass of whisky. Robin downs it quickly, and purses her lips as it burns her throat. The mercenary wasn't joking, this _is_ a strong drink. "Gregor… I have a question."

"Yes?"

"At what point is a person too old to consider romance?"

"Ah, that is trick question." Gregor chuckles. "Never too old! Just matter of finding other your age… or younger man or woman who do not mind lady with some life experience."

"Life experience? I think that's your polite way of saying I'm no spring beauty anymore, hmm?"

"Gregor not say yes or no… mostly because one be sounding dishonest, the other rude."

Robin shakes her head. "Either way… thank you Gregor. I suppose I needed to hear that."

"Gregor happy to provide!" The mercenary grins. "Perhaps Robin can be rewarding Gregor by providing the drinks next time?"

"You're assuming this will happen again."

"Is Gregor wrong?"

Robin gives him a shrewd look… then laughs. "Fine. I'll buy something suitably strong for next time."

###

Robin breathes in the dry, warm air around her. It surprised the other Shepherds that she wanted to go back to Plegia so soon after they took down Gangrel, but Robin wants to see if she can figure out her missing past and, seeing how old she is, figure out if she has any living family or acquaintances.

Plegia is a large place though, so Robin starts at the capital. As the largest city in the country the tactician figures that if she does have relatives, there's a statistical likelihood of some of them being in the capital over any other random place.

" _Let me see…_ " Robin thinks to herself. " _I'm a tactician, yes? My coat when I was found in the field indicated that too, so maybe it wouldn't be unreasonable to start at a military academy._ "

As it turns out, one _can_ just walk up to a military academy. Getting beyond the reception area is another matter, but Robin hopefully doesn't need to do that. She is just hoping someone recon-

"Mom?"

Well, that took a lot less time than she expected. Robin was anticipating this being a multi-week endeavor, possibly months, not the _first day_. She's not going to complain though. She turns away from the reception counter to see a small brown-haired boy wearing a cloak almost exactly the same as hers. "Ah."

The boy doesn't wait for any further confirmation. He leaps forwards and wraps his arms around Robin's waist. "You've been gone so loooong Mom!"

"Sorry, sorry." Robin says. The boy does not look familiar to her, she didn't get some memory trigger, but it's not unreasonable to assume a child would recognize his own mother. "The situation was complicated. It still is to be honest."

"Why?"

"I am… amnesiac."

"Oh." The boy blinks. "Ooh… okay, that's… uh… ooh…"

"So, pardon me for asking dear, but…" Robin winces, she doesn't figure he's going to react well to this question. "What is your name?"

"I…" Tears prick up in the corner of the boy's eyes, but he holds them back rather well. "Morgan."

"Morgan, hmm?" Robin murmurs. "That's a nice name… Morgan."

"Thanks?"

"Morgan… what is _my_ name?"

This causes him to blink in even more shock. "You... really forgot everything, didn't you?"

"Yes."

"Your name is Malum."

"Malum?" The tactician says. "Malum… hmm… that's not familiar. I was going by Robin."

At this point the two have gathered a bit of a crowd, so Morgan tugs on his mother's sleeve. "Maybe we should go somewhere else?"

"Yes, yes, of course."

Several hours of conversation later, Robin has learned quite a bit about her past self. Firstly, Morgan is an adoption, and she never made mention to him of any former lovers. Apparently her personality was much the same as it is now, which is reassuring, and she was a high-ranking member of the Plegian military who retired to an advisor role after starting to show signs of severe post-traumatic-stress disorder from her time spent on the front lines. Suddenly however, about a year ago, she accepted a crucial mission requested by the king himself and went off to Ylisse… and she didn't return.

That, of course, is the _extremely_ short version.

"That's quite a lot to take in…" Rob- _Malum_ murmurs.

"Yeah. Uh…" Morgan mumbles. "I'm still glad you're back. I was worried."

Right, this boy has been living with no news of his mother for nearly a year, likely thinking she was _dead_.

"So… you aren't going to leave me again, are you?" Morgan asks hoarsely.

"Of course not dear, I intend to take you with me." She says. "Erm… if you don't mind of course. You have a life here after all."

"Wait, you don't want to live here?" Morgan squeaks.

"I… erm…" How does she explain this? "I told you I have amnesia, yes?"

"Yeah…"

"Well, when I awoke from whatever caused that, I found myself lying in a field in Ylisse, and quickly found myself taken in by the prince himself, and fought with the Shepherds who are like an elite military group-"

"Wait, wait. The Shepherds defeated Gangrel a few months ago." Morgan says quickly. "Did… did _you_ defeat Gangrel?"

"Well, I made the plan that defeated him, yes."

"Oh…" Morgan sits back in his chair. "You live in Ylisse, don't you?"

"Yes. I came here to find out about my past, and hopefully find my family. I'll admit to not having much of a plan beyond that though." Malum murmurs. "Oh dear…"

There's a moment of silence. Both of them fiddle with their drinks, trying to think of something to say.

"Well…" Morgan says slowly, breaking the silence. "I'm not attached to too much here. You were sorta my whole life, you know? I wouldn't mind coming back with you."

"Are you sure? Do you not have friends here?"

"I have one or two, but really I was just trying to get through school and waiting to become an adult so I could go find you." Morgan admits.

"Ah." Well, it seems this boy's horizons might need a bit of broadening… but Malum is still touched by his devotion. "Well, you've found me now; and even if I do not remember you, I am still glad to be considered your mother."

"Y-Yeah?"

"Of course."

"Th-then…" Morgan fidgets in place. "C-Can I ask for something?"

"Of course dear."

"C-Can I have a hug? You always gave the best hugs…"

Malum can't help but let out a quiet laugh upon hearing that. Apparently she had a reputation for this even before her memory was lost. "How can I say no to that?"

* * *

 **Okay, this chapter is a bit of a mess. So many different threads that I just didn't expand upon… but I'm done with this. I've spent way too long trying to write this chapter, and I'm just going to draw the line here.**

* * *

 **bauers374** **:** The first time in a speaking role, yes.

I wasn't really thinking of being progressive when I wrote him. It just seemed to fit his personality.

Yes, that chapter _is_ super rape-y. That was intentional. The whole idea was to have him make Maribelle, and the reader, super uncomfortable.

 **Darkjackal248** **:** :D

 **Darkness is complete** **:** Geokinetic, got it.

 **LoveGlutton** **:** Snark is surprisingly difficult to write for me, and jokes even harder. It doesn't come naturally to me for whatever reason.

Glad you found him fun. I was worried he'd be a bit boring compared to the other Robins.

 **kylC** **:** Mundane and not entertaining are two very different things. One of my favourites is Bow Knight Robin, who doesn't have any fancy power whatsoever (or even really a quirk). I presume you were the one who requested a Fashion Designer? I apparently didn't write it down.

 **Maxobb** **:** Noted.

 **Twin Robins :** Saving that for something big. Maybe 100. It's on the list though.


	57. Bodyguard Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **Minor: Dark Flier, Immortal, Boxer (Pugilist), Exploitive, Swordmaster, Angry Cinnamon Roll, Tripping, Perpetual Cheer, Chef, Blacksmith, Pegasus Knight, Teacher, Librarian, Masochist, Literal-Minded, Authoritative, Wyvern Rider, Phobia, Thicc, Tsundere, Damsel in Distress, Gangrel's Child, Wyvern Rider, Child, Communist, Bomber, Bear Cavalry, Flying, ADHD, Super Strength, Patriotic, Martial Artist, Scottish, Sassy, One Liner, Seamstress, Shephard, Speedy, Cool, Shy, Bookworm, Mercenary, Sweet, Kung Fu, Buff, Lazy, Wingless Flight.**

 **Standard: Elemental, Deaf, Foreign, Future sight, Nurse/Medic, Valmese Tactician, Medusa, Amazon, Genderfluid, Gift from Validar + evil to good, Mimic, Emotionless, Crippling Overspecialization (Idiot Savant), Coward, ESP, POW, PTSD, Magician, Mute, Handicapped, Secret Helper, Crazy, Morpher, Dreamwalker, Twins, Regenerating, Animal Whisperer, Naga/Tiki Assistant, Deadly Touch, Mind Reader, Doppelganger, Arachne, D &D magic, Umbramancer, Horror Monster, Dominatrix, Songstress, Kinky, Matchmaker, Androphobic, Illusionist, Attraction Aura, Ring Maker, Therapist, Teleporting, Crippled, Puppet, Broken, Hallucination, Depressed, Slave, Love Curse, Detective, Geokinetic, Trauma.**

 **Unlikely: Chrom's child, Minotaur, Paladin, Werewolf, Assassin, Future Soldier, Bounty Hunter, Weather control, Kleptomaniac, Druid, Steampunk, Shadow Familiar, Magic Augmentation, Lucky, Exile, Piper (Charmer), Gladiator, Witch Doctor, Centaur, Drunk, Demon, Punk, Harpy, Revenant, Luck Manipulation, Demon Summoner, Megalomaniac, Kitsune, King of Plegia, Mood Ring, Reverse Aging, Hammerspace, Prostitute, Demon Hunter, Cyborg, Maid/Servant/Butler, Deadlord, Rebellion, Einherjar, Trap, Yandere, Living Weapon, Size Shifter, Queen of Plegia, Gluttonous, Stretchy, Ninja, Alchemist, Protoss, Spirit Manipulation, Invisible, Plegian Honor Guard, Mecha, Kryptonian, Creator, Orc, Memory Stealing Respawn, Racer, Khan, Misfortune, Vampire Hunter, Geokinetic, Imaginary Actualization, Death, Resurrection, Force, Merchant, Background Music, Variable, Civilian, Natural Disaster, Mental Noise Projection, Hidden OP, Summoner, Cyclops, Teleporter, Cryokinetic, Genie, Judge, Intangibility, Fortune Teller, Future Vision, Serial Killer, Pervert, Magic Fixit, Drakengard Restoration, Ying-Yang, Childhood Friend, Cyberpunk, Chrom's Mother, Obsessed, Berserker, Phase Shift, Gravity Manipulation, Hallucinating, Bladesoul, Zombie, Double Entendre, Shared Body/Two Souls, Cannibal, Singer, Violent, Insane, Waterbender, Casanova, Cupid, Undertaker, Master Thief, Guard, Faceless, Shadow, Age Control, Cradle Snatcher, Emo, Singer, Nun, Courier, Haunted Knight Armor, Egyptian, Sentient Object, Shit Lord, Court Wizard, Naga's sibling, Mad Queen, Artist, Predator, Cheshire Cat, Radio Host, Chimera, Wendigo, Witch, Symbiote, Hivemind, Hammerspace, Anna, Mother Nature, Psychopath, Stripper, Painting, Grima Parts, Knightmare, Super, Swimsuit, Bunny Outfit, One Punch, Idol, Chef, Rampage, Housewife, Determination, Vessel of Naga, Instant Expert, Time Travel, Hermit, Alternate Dimension 'Twin', Legendary, Resistance, Memory Regain.**

 **Other: Self-insert, Second Generation replacement, Dimensional Walker, Cycle, Fates.**

 **Bodyguard Robin, as suggested by Dragon Tag.**

* * *

"My Khan, please be more mindful of your flank." The man says calmly. "While I am capable of covering you to an extent, neither you nor I am invincible. If you insist on rushing headlong into battle, then you should be bringing more backup than just me."

"I didn't even try to bring you! You just keep showing up!" The khan laughs. "How do you keep doing that?"

"I would be a poor bodyguard if I did not always know the position-"

"Yeah, yeah, I've heard that before. You always have eyes on me." She says dismissively. "But _how_ do you do it? I know you hover around me a lot, but what about the times when you _can't_ see me?"

"I make educated." The man says calmly. "Also, magic. Divination to be specific. I've placed magic signatures on your armor, so I can always tell where it is… and if it's leaving the fort when it's not supposed to, I can make a fair guess that you are sneaking out again."

"Ah, come on, loosen up! You don't have to babysit me! I'm twice your age, _I_ should be lookin' after _you_! Can't a Khan let loose and kill a few bandits on her own every once in a while?"

"No." The man says flatly.

"Killjoy…" Flavia sighs. "Well, anyways, thanks for the help Rob. That coulda gotten _spicy_ if you hadn't taken out those myrmidons."

"And by 'spicy', you mean Ferox would be down a kahn." Robin says flatly.

"Well…"

"My Kahn, I cannot stress enough the importance of allowing myself to accompany you on these excursions of yours, and _informing_ me of them beforehand. Even if you take no others, at the very least allow me to provide a measure of safety. I understand your need for time to yourself, but you are the leader of a country. You cannot afford the same recklessness as a common berserker."

"Are you calling me a barbarian?"

"No, I am calling you a reckless lunatic." Robin says with a completely straight face. "My Khan."

"Saying 'my Khan' doesn't make me forget you just insulted me." Flavia says threateningly.

"I would hope not, else I would fear my constant hints for you to learn a modicum of sense had gone unheard." Her bodyguard says dryly. "I am glad to hear you have been _consciously_ ignoring me rather than simply not understanding." He pauses for a moment, then adds: "my Khan."

"I am a leader of warriors!" Flavia protests. "I cannot have my men thinking I am not capable of handling myself! I am _expected_ to do great deeds!"

"And neither of those things will be accomplished with stupidity." Robin says calmly. "Else you will be remembered as that moron who rushed off to fight bandits and got herself killed because she was too prideful, and people will wonder how you ever managed to become Khan in the first place."

If Robin were anyone else Flavia would probably have punched him by now. However, this is very normal for the two of them. "Don't pull _too_ many punches there Robin." The Khan scoffs sarcastically. "You might hurt my feelings."

"Don't come to your senses _too_ soon my Khan." Robin retorts quickly, and with equal sarcasm. "It's not like you are vital to the running of the country or anything."

###

"So, Rami messed up." Robin says smugly when the prince of Ylisse and his group of warriors leave the room. "Who could have _possibly_ predicted that?"

"Yes, I know, you called it." Flavia grumbles. "I'll have a talk with her."

"The sooner you start listening to me the better my Khan."

"The sooner you stop being smug the sooner I listen to you." Flavia mutters under her breath.

"Except, when I told you about this, I was perfectly calm and reasonable, as I am _every_ time I give you a warning." Robin reminds her. "Do not _lie_ to me my Khan. You have no intention of listening one way or another, do you?"

The Khan purses her lips. Robin is right of course. She hates it when he's right. "I'm going to inspect the arena before the tournament."

"Of course my Khan." Robin says with a bow. "Let us be off then."

The two exit the castle and move towards the colosseum. Flavia nods to the soldiers she sees training as they exit the courtyard and greets some of the townsfolk as they move through the town. Robin does neither of those things himself, and is instead focused on looking out for potential assailants and making sure all the usual escape routes are available. One of his hands rests permanently on his shield as he's constantly ready to pull it out in Flavia's defense.

Of course, nothing happens on the way to the arena. Surprisingly though, there's already someone there.

"Basilio." Flavia greets with a wide, confident grin. "Inspecting the place you're going to _lose_ next week?"

"Flavia. Have you actually started listening to others, or are you still as bull-headed as you've always been?" The burly man shoots back with an equally wide grin. He marches over to her (as does the one person accompanying him: an incredibly skilled swordsman by the name of Lon'qu) and pulls her into a large hug which Flavia reluctantly reciprocates. "How's it goin' little brat? Is Robin takin' good care of you?"

"Still don't think I'm capable of handling myself old man?"

"Oh, I _know_ you aren't." The man laughs. "Say Rob, how many times has she run off somewhere without telling anyone this month?"

"Five." The man says dryly. He pauses, then adds. "Six, actually. There was that time she skipped out a meeting too."

Flavia glares at her bodyguard, and Robin ignores her. Basilio just laughs and slaps Robin on the shoulder. "Well keep up the good work then! If she died and I got a different opponent, I might actually be given a run for my money at some point!"

"Noted." The bodyguard says stoically.

"Well fuck both of you." Flavia sighs. She glances at Lon'qu. "At least _you_ don't have an attitude."

Lon'qu, predictably, says nothing.

"So, what _actually_ brings you here?" Basilio asks curiously. "I doubt you came here to see me."

"Damn right I didn't. I came to make sure this place was ready, and to get out of the palace again." Flavia huffs. "All the usual politics and whatnot is _boring_."

Basilio shakes his head. "And you're trying to become ruling Khan with an attitude like that? We are _doomed_ if you ever take my title."

"Pff… I'll do fine." Flavia scoffs. "It'll be different when I become ruling Khan."

"Will it really?" Basilio asks, suddenly sounding very serious. "Can you sit around for hours, handling crisis after crisis? Can you spend hours on end dealing with legal issues? Complaints? Foreign politics? Rarely having free time? You won't be able to afford sneaking out like you currently do. The ruler of a whole nation can't be running off without warning."

"I know what being the ruling Khan involves!" Flavia huffs. "I'm not _stupid_ old man."

"Alright, alright! No need to get huffy!" Basilio laughs. "I'm poking fun at you girl! I'm sure you'll do alright _if_ that happens. Not that I plan on letting that happen, of course."

"You're not going to have a choice old man. I've got a team this year that will blow you away!"

"Hah! That's the spirit!" The man laughs. "I'll see you next week at the fight then! I've got my own secret weapon this time! I can't wait to see who formed the better team!"

"Indeed, we'll see old man…"

###

"This could work." Robin says appraisingly. "This prince is no pushover. His troops are well trained… but I think his tactician could be doing better work. They're competent, but not a _master_."

"You think you could do better?" Flavia chuckles.

"Yes." Robin says flatly. "I am a trained tactician my Khan."

"Ah, right." Flavia totally forgot about that. It's not like advanced military tactics is often relevant for a bodyguard. Unless he is in charge of a squad of guards (which he isn't, the guards have their own captain, though Robin does actually have the authority to take command of them if need be). "What would you do?"

"First, I'd use that knight to take out Marth." Robin says. "As skilled as the girl looks, that knight is a league above everyone else here and can easily deal with her. Other than that, I'd use pack tactics and have the rest of his squad converge on one enemy at a time rather than splitting apart like they're doing. It would be a simple matter to abuse Basilio's spread-out formation and take down his troops one-by-one with the armored knight demolishing their leader in no time."

"And their current strategy?"

"Well, the tactician _is_ keeping in mind weapon triangle and certain extremely effective weapon choices like the prince's rapier, but he is splitting his squad into two which is possibly risky and not even necessarily faster because aside from that armored knight there is no single fighter that can efficiently deal with any given enemy before a counterattack." Robin muses. "It's still not a _terrible_ strategy, but with only one healer overall and only a single potent defensive unit they are very vulnerable to Marth suddenly joining the fight and ripping through the squad without the knight."

"Hmm…" Flavia nods. Now that Robin has pointed it out, she can see what he's saying. Flavia knows a bit about tactics herself, but she's a warrior before she's a tactician. She also knows more about managing armies and supply chains than she does small-unit tactics. "Maybe you could give their tactician some pointers then?"

"If my Khan would allow it. They are a foreign power. Providing them assistance may backfire."

"Hah! If everyone had that mentality, we'd never make progress in anything!" Flavia scoffs. "Win or lose, feel free to offer your advice during the celebration afterwards."

"Thank you my Khan."

###

The archer gives a nod of understanding. "Ah! I see! My thanks good man, I shall take thine advice to heart! Never again shall the archest of archers make such a base mistake!"

"Base? Hardly." Robin shakes his head. "Your strategy was effective enough, there is simply some refinement needed. Remember there is always more than one solution to an apparent problem."

"Spoken like a true tactician!" Virion laughs. "I think there is much I could learn from you Sir Robin! I do hope we can speak more in the coming days."

"We shall see." Robin says. "That decision is not mine. It belongs to my Khan, and necessitates your staying here, and I have heard that you are in a rush to return to Ylisstol…"

"True, very true." Virion sighs dramatically. "Oh, what a shame it is to be parted so soon! Perhaps then I shall meet you some other day, and we can talk tactics then?"

"I would be more than willing should that time come." Robin agrees. "Now, if you'll pardon me, I must return to my post."

"You are a guard?"

"Khan Flavia's personal bodyguard." Robin corrects. He notices his Khan getting a bit too into her drinks, and stands up from his seat. "If you'll excuse me…"

"By all means."

Robin quickly moves to his leige's side and firmly plants a hand on her shoulder. "My Khan…"

"Ah, the killjoy's back." Flavia huffs. "Come on, can't a leader celebrate her own victory?"

"I am not here to stop you. I merely wish to remind you that the _good_ beer comes out later, so you may not wish to spoil your appetite so quickly."

"Aha! Right! Thank you Robin."

That is, of course, not at all why Robin came over here. He returned to his Khan's side because he spied some of the warchiefs joining the table… and that might be problematic. They might try to extract promises from a drunken Flavia or, worse, might try to spike her drink.

Ferox is not immune to political machinations. Now admittedly they are _far_ less common than Ylisse or Plegia, but something being uncommon does not mean Robin does not plan against it. He would be a poor bodyguard if he did not plan for the obscure or unlikely. He has a number of antidotes in his coat at any given time, kept in steel containers so as to not be easily breakable. He also has bandages and two elixirs on him just in case, along with his shield which is hidden on the inside of his coat and a few dozen throwing daggers.

Oh, and his usual weapon (a superior edge) is also on his hip.

He doesn't anticipate actually using it at a party, but you never know when you might have to kill everyone else in the room…

Hopefully that isn't necessary with current company, but you never know...

###

War, a terrible thing…

"Woo! _Finally_ we can give it to those Plegian dastards!" The reigning Khan cheers.

...unless you ask Flavia. Flavia's been itching to go to war with Plegia for years now. It's not hard to understand why; Plegian bandits have been hassling Ferox since the end of the last Ylisse-Plegia war, and Flavia is more than happy to jump at the chance to side with Ylisse and smash Plegia into the ground. The letter she holds at the moment formally asking her to join the war is the current reason for her celebration.

"You speak as if you did not expect this." Robin says.

"Yeah, well, it's never _real_ until it's in writing." Flavia sighs. "Such is the nature of being a ruler."

Robin snorts, and the Khan shoots him a glare. "My Khan, you've been in charge of all Ferox for only a week. I don't think you can accurately speak about the 'nature of being a ruler' when it comes to your current position."

"Shush you." Flavia grumbles. "You always try to rain on my parade!"

"I do no such thing my Khan. I attempt only to provide you with logical and relevant notes." Robin says, trying to hide a smirk on his face.

"Sure you do." The lady grumbles. "Relevant my ass. I swear you mock me more than you protect me!"

"Only because you don't recognize how much I have to compensate for your recklessness my Khan." Robin sighs. "Though, I suppose since you have taken the throne that has not been the case. Your words to Basilio were correct it seems, you _do_ take your duties as ruling Khan seriously."

"You thought I didn't?"

"Considering your constant disappearances, yes." He bluntly tells her.

"So little trust…"

"My job is not to trust you, it is to protect you." Robin says stoically.

"Yeah, I've noticed."

###

A bodyguard's job is never done; certainly not on the battlefield. Thankfully, Robin is quite at home on the battlefield. His knowledge of small-unit tactics is finally coming in handy for the first time since accepting this job. He only commands Flavia's person guards, but that's all he needs to be effective. Flavia's personal guards are a diverse bunch, which is exactly what Robin needs. One mage, one dark mage, two healers, four fighters, two mercenaries, and two lancers. A varied, (and thankfully competent) bunch.

It also helps that Flavia tends to fight alongside the Shepherds when she takes the field, and the Shepherds are highly competent themselves so it's rare that Robin has to worry about that flank falling.

Robin usually fights with his superior edge next to his Khan, but on occasion he finds it more appropriate to take a backline role with his bolt tome (occasionally called 'Katarina's bolt', named after a historical tactician, though it should be noted Katarina was more known to be fond of fire magic than thunder making it an odd thing that this weapon is named after her. Most historians suspect a misattribution at some point in the past).

Fighting in the desert heat is nostalgic for Robin. He _was_ training to be a tactician in the Plegian army before his mother fled to Ferox during the last war about ten years ago. Now, at thirty years of age, he finds himself back in his homeland acting (to an extent) his intended job… but for the _other_ side.

Robin wonders what his mother would think of this… but only for a moment. He is sure of his decisions, and has no regrets. If those decisions lead him to aid an attack against Plegia, so be it.

"My Khan, there are dark mages at our three! Let us drift to the left, and let the Ylissian pegasus riders deal with them!" Robin barks.

"You heard the man, stay away from those mages!" Flavia shouts. The guards comply, and skirt around the dark mages' range.

"Chrom! You heard me, right?!" Robin shouts at the unit fighting alongside them.

"I did! Sumia, Cordelia, and Phila are going to deal with it!" The prince hollers back. "We have our own problem though! Wyverns at our nine!"

"Sej, Yaz, strike down those wyverns!" Robin barks to his mage and dark mage.

"Yes sir!" The two women shout. They channel their respective tomes, and proceed to rain fire and dark magic upon the unfortunate wyverns. They are joined by the two mages belonging to the Shepherds which make quick work of their attackers.

This is just one instance of many where Robin has had to rely on the Shepherds for aid. He would prefer _not_ to do this, but lacking anti-mage units of his own forces him to ask for help or risk serious damage.

He'll have to see about changing the composition of Flavia's guard…

###

"This is _your_ fault you know!" Robin snaps as he takes another arrow with his shield.

"Are we really talking about this _now_?" Flavia shouts back. She cuts down a barbarian, but is quickly forced to pull up her arm shield against the unrelenting arrows.

"Yes! I told you not to rush in! The guards can't keep up!" Robin scolds. "And we don't have a good way to deal with archers! You don't keep any cavaliers in your guard!"

"You're a tactician! Aren't you supposed to deal with this stuff?"

"I can, but I need the resources to do so, and people to _not_ randomly rush off!" The bodyguard snaps. "Especially not the person I'm charged with guarding!"

Robin spots a mage channeling in their direction. Realizing there's no easy way for both of them to dodge this, Robin steps in front of his liege and takes the fire spell. Snarling, he pulls out one of his many daggers and slings it at the mage, though unfortunately it doesn't injure enough to kill.

"We must retreat my Khan!" Robin shouts. Another arrow embeds itself in his shield, and he winces at the pain in his now-burned shoulder. "We are outmatched! The guards cannot reach us, we will be cut off if we remain!"

Flavia snarls, clearly not liking this, but listens to her bodyguard for once. "Fine! We'll pull back for now…"

The two back away from the hill they were trying to take, shields held high above their heads. They're nearly stopped from fleeing by a squad of mercenaries, but Robin makes use of his superior edge to decimate them before reinforcements can arrive to seal their fate. The two of them retreat into Flavia's guard, and allow the healers to do their work.

###

Flavia grimaces as her bandaged leg gives her pain when she has to stand up. She mutters under her breath as she limps to the outside of her command tent and gazes at the battle she can't be a part of due to her injury.

She can also hear her bodyguard behind her. Even though she's not looking at him, she can tell he has a pointed look on his face and is ready to scold her if she so much as looks at him.

"I get it, alright? I was reckless." Flavia growls without turning around. "Point taken. You can stop staring at me for it."

"Would you prefer I scold you?" Robin asks.

"No."

"Then this is what you get." Robin says calmly.

Flavia sighs deeply. "Why do you always antagonize me Robin?"

"I could ask you the same thing my Khan." The bodyguard replies. "You never listen to my concerns."

"You always try to stop me having fun."

"You're the leader of a nation." Robin says sternly. "'Fun' is not part of your job. You are not a foolish woman, you _know_ this. If you care more about fun, you should never have become a Khan."

Flavia grimaces. She should have expected such a reaction from him. "Am I never entitled to enjoy myself merely because I'm a leader?"

"Well…" Robin sighs deeply. "My Khan, you know that is not what I mean. It is true that your own happiness must come second to your responsibilities, but it is also true that your happiness must not put you unduly at risk for the sake of the country. Such is the burden of being head Khan. You cannot allow your desire for fun to be at the detriment of your country, that would be _horribly_ selfish considering you willingly competed for and took the title from a perfectly competent leader only to totally disregard the duties that go along with it."

The Khan's shoulders sag. Robin has a point. She took the throne from Basilio only to fight against what it entails, knowing full well in advance what she would dislike about it. Perhaps indeed she is very foolish. A life of politics and leadership only appealed to her for the _power_ of it all, to satisfy her own ego, and because she was absolutely certain she could do a better job because…

Well, there was never really a reason she assumed she was better. It was youthful pride at one point, and she never addressed that over all the years it took her to get the throne.

She just isn't meant to be the leader of a country, is she? She doesn't have the attitude for it, she doesn't have the mindset for it, she doesn't have the tolerance for it's restrictions. All those years of work, just for something she realizes now that she hates.

"Yes… yes I suppose that's true." Flavia grimaces. "You're right Robin, as usual."

"It is rare of you to admit such a thing." Robin says slowly. "Why the change in attitude?"

"I have to think on something." Flavia grunts. " _After_ this war is over though. Robin?"

"Yes?"

"Henceforth, I am putting you in my place on the battlefield. I will be remaining at camp to command from afar for the remainder of the war. My guards will be your guards now. Aid the Shepherds in their endeavors."

"I see…" Robin murmurs. "As you wish my Khan. I will do you proud."

"I expected you to protest."

"Because I am your bodyguard? Perhaps I should, but if you are to remain at camp there are others who can protect you just as well, and I am aware my skills are better used on the battlefield." Robin shrugs. "I am trusting, however, that you will keep your word my Khan.'

"I will." Flavia says reluctantly. "I won't be the fool any longer. I will do my duty."

"Understood my Khan."

* * *

 **Well, I think that's basically the resolution of the main plot, so I'll end it here. Using Flavia was a new experience… and one I'm not exactly raring to repeat. It's not that writing her was horrible, I just don't find her interesting nor that likable. It was cool to do once… and I don't think I'll be using her in a major context again. It's not even like Tharja, F!Morgan, or Severa were some small changes make her perfectly fine, she's just mediocre** _ **as a whole**_ **for me.**

* * *

 **bauers374** **:** Indeed…

Well, that's assuming you're not counting the various Robins, because I _know_ they've sworn before. Angel Robin anyone?

Deadpool how? Insanity, absurd regeneration? Both? Breaking the fourth wall? (Actually, I wouldn't allow that last one. It doesn't fit the collection).

 **Arashi walker** **:** :D

 **bwburke94** **:** Yeah, I wasn't sure how that'd be received, but it fit the story too well not to put in.

 **Someth1ng** **:** Hermit? Sure I suppose… hmm… that'll be finicky…

So Legendary is just a variant of Hermit. Got it.

Interesting…

Aha, this is a curious one. Trauma Robin. I like it.

This… eh… we'll see.

 **Firehedgehog** **:** Not the reaction I was expecting, but I like it.

 **TheF00L0** **:** Well, just normal twins as an idea is fine, but the alternate dimension thing gets complicated very quickly (especially since I'd have to justify one Robin leaving their own dimension). I'll put it down, but that's a _very_ unlikely variant.

 **Vanderspiegel :** Incidentally, I love this idea. You're right when you say it doesn't fit The Robin Variable very well though. I'll put it down in my list for Varied Awakenings.


	58. Ninja Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **Minor: Dark Flier, Immortal, Boxer (Pugilist), Exploitive, Swordmaster, Angry Cinnamon Roll, Tripping, Perpetual Cheer, Chef, Blacksmith, Pegasus Knight, Teacher, Librarian, Masochist, Literal-Minded, Authoritative, Wyvern Rider, Phobia, Thicc, Tsundere, Damsel in Distress, Gangrel's Child, Wyvern Rider, Child, Communist, Bomber, Bear Cavalry, Flying, ADHD, Super Strength, Patriotic, Martial Artist, Scottish, Sassy, One Liner, Seamstress, Shephard, Speedy, Cool, Shy, Bookworm, Mercenary, Sweet, Kung Fu, Buff, Lazy, Wingless Flight, Blunt.**

 **Standard: Elemental, Deaf, Foreign, Future sight, Nurse/Medic, Valmese Tactician, Medusa, Amazon, Genderfluid, Gift from Validar + evil to good, Mimic, Emotionless, Crippling Overspecialization (Idiot Savant), Coward, ESP, POW, PTSD, Magician, Mute, Handicapped, Secret Helper, Crazy, Morpher, Dreamwalker, Twins, Regenerating, Animal Whisperer, Naga/Tiki Assistant, Deadly Touch, Mind Reader, Doppelganger, Arachne, D &D magic, Umbramancer, Horror Monster, Dominatrix, Songstress, Kinky, Matchmaker, Androphobic, Illusionist, Attraction Aura, Ring Maker, Therapist, Teleporting, Crippled, Puppet, Broken, Hallucination, Depressed, Slave, Love Curse, Detective, Geokinetic, Trauma.**

 **Unlikely: Chrom's child, Minotaur, Paladin, Werewolf, Assassin, Future Soldier, Bounty Hunter, Weather control, Kleptomaniac, Druid, Steampunk, Shadow Familiar, Magic Augmentation, Lucky, Exile, Piper (Charmer), Gladiator, Witch Doctor, Centaur, Drunk, Demon, Punk, Harpy, Revenant, Luck Manipulation, Demon Summoner, Megalomaniac, Kitsune, King of Plegia, Mood Ring, Reverse Aging, Hammerspace, Prostitute, Demon Hunter, Cyborg, Maid/Servant/Butler, Deadlord, Rebellion, Einherjar, Trap, Yandere, Living Weapon, Size Shifter, Queen of Plegia, Gluttonous, Stretchy, Ninja, Alchemist, Protoss, Spirit Manipulation, Invisible, Plegian Honor Guard, Mecha, Kryptonian, Creator, Orc, Memory Stealing Respawn, Racer, Khan, Misfortune, Vampire Hunter, Geokinetic, Imaginary Actualization, Death, Resurrection, Force, Merchant, Background Music, Variable, Civilian, Natural Disaster, Mental Noise Projection, Hidden OP, Summoner, Cyclops, Teleporter, Cryokinetic, Genie, Judge, Intangibility, Fortune Teller, Future Vision, Serial Killer, Pervert, Magic Fixit, Drakengard Restoration, Ying-Yang, Childhood Friend, Cyberpunk, Chrom's Mother, Obsessed, Berserker, Phase Shift, Gravity Manipulation, Hallucinating, Bladesoul, Zombie, Double Entendre, Shared Body/Two Souls, Cannibal, Singer, Violent, Insane, Waterbender, Casanova, Cupid, Undertaker, Master Thief, Guard, Faceless, Shadow, Age Control, Cradle Snatcher, Emo, Singer, Nun, Courier, Haunted Knight Armor, Egyptian, Sentient Object, Shit Lord, Court Wizard, Naga's sibling, Mad Queen, Artist, Predator, Cheshire Cat, Radio Host, Chimera, Wendigo, Witch, Symbiote, Hivemind, Hammerspace, Anna, Mother Nature, Psychopath, Stripper, Painting, Grima Parts, Knightmare, Super, Swimsuit, Bunny Outfit, One Punch, Idol, Chef, Rampage, Housewife, Determination, Vessel of Naga, Instant Expert, Time Travel, Hermit, Alternate Dimension 'Twin', Legendary, Resistance, Memory Regain, Umbra Witch, Naga, Aquatic, Hexblade Warlock.**

 **Other: Self-insert, Second Generation replacement, Dimensional Walker, Cycle, Fates.**

 **Okay, so… hmm… it's been a while since I've done my favourite thing, and my favourite thing is doing flirty/aggressive female Robin. So that's what I'm doing this chapter!**

 _ **Clearly**_ **this is a good use for Ninja Robin, right? (Suggested by Dragon Tag)**

* * *

"Here we are my dear." The Plegian noble grins. "Prince Chrom, in all his _glory_."

The prince is too tired to glare at them. He's weak from starvation, having only gotten small amounts of bread and water every morning for the last three months. It's not the first time some noble has come to gloat about his capture, and it's not even the first time a noble has brought some girl they seduced to come see him as a show of power (both over him, and to the girl) just to show off.

This particular man has come more than once. His name is Vandar Mekrov, and he comes in once a week with a new girl on his arm. It boggles Chrom's mind that taking them to a _prison_ is his idea of a date. Maybe that's why he never sees the same girl twice.

"Wow…" The girl gasps. "I thought people were joking when they said they'd captured the prince! Is this really him? It's not a lookalike?"

"But of course!" Vandar grins. "He's been quite the stubborn one too! Refuses to give us anything, despite our _generous_ offers should he do so."

Chrom snorts. Generous? They consider a proper meal 'generous'? That's basic human rights.

"See? He even scoffs at us _mentioning_ generosity!" Vandar says smugly. "Ylissians are too stuck up to accept kindness from others. They all think they're so much better than us after all."

That's not the case at all. These people are just assholes.

"I see…" The woman clinging on his arm glances to the guards around them. "Mister Vandar-"

"Just Vandar is alright dear." The man smirks.

"Can… can I _talk_ with the prince, Vandar." The girl whispers in a low voice. Vandar raises his eyes, and the girl hastens to explain. "I'm _curious_ … and I would like to try and get him to talk."

Vander's eyes widen in curiosity and surprise. "Really now?"

"Yes. I'm quite the dark mage." The girl smiles. "Don't tell mother, but… I'm rather important in the Grimleal, and I've been eager to test some of the things I've learned on a _proper_ subject and put them to real use."

The girl pulls off her right glove and reveals the mark of Grima tattooed onto the back of her hand. Vander, for a moment, looks nervous, but hides it behind a massive smile. "Aha! I wish I could allow it, but alas I'm not in charge of the prince's interrogation…"

"Ah, I see…" The girl frowns deeply. "I had assumed you had more influence. I guess I was wrong."

Chrom realizes the manipulation as soon as he hears it. The girl is poking at Vandar's pride to get a response. He'd be amused if it weren't at the cost of an impromptu interrogation session.

"Well…" The man glances at the guards pleadingly. The two share a look, nod, and then one makes a motion of rubbing his fingers together. Money. Vandar nods immediately, and the two smirk and step out of the room. "Ah, how you press me my dear. It will cost a pretty penny, but for you, I have done it."

"Thank you~!" The girl hums happily. She turns towards him, pressing her chest against his arm that was linked through hers. She angles her head up at him and puckers her lips, clearly inviting a kiss. Vander isn't about to argue, and eagerly claims her mouth.

Chrom rolls his eyes. Really? They're going to do this here? At least, that's what he thinks until he notices what the girl's hands are doing. One arm goes around Vandar's head, keeping his mouth pressed tightly against hers. The other comes around, looking like it's about to do the same thing, but at the last moment the girl twists her wrist to reveal a small knife and promptly plunges it into Vandar's exposed neck.

The prince watches in horrified fascination from his cell as Vandar's eyes shoot open as he starts to choke on his own blood. He tries to shout, to call for help, but the forceful kiss keeps him from making noise. The girl demonstrates surprising strength when she forces him to the ground and pins one arm with her free hand and uses her legs to lock the other. Vandar flails, but his consciousness rapidly fades from being unable to breathe and he falls unconscious in a only a dozen seconds.

In less than a minute this girl executed Vandar, and it was almost totally silent. The guards clearly didn't hear, or they would have come rushing back in. The girl keeps her pin for a few moments longer, making absolutely sure the man is dead, and then stands up, spits some of Vandar's blood out of her mouth, and cleans her blade on his coat.

Chrom hadn't cared before because he'd mostly been ignoring his visitors, but now he's paying careful attention to every little detail about her. She's a bit short (about five feet) with black hair so long it almost brushes the floor (Chrom expects it's impractical in battle), and she has epicanthic folds on her dark brown eyes of a Chon'sin native. Her true skin color is hidden behind the makeup and mascara that pales her skin, making Chrom suspect she has the off-peach color common to Chon'sin (which, to a Ylissian, would be called "yellow", but Chrom knows that isn't quite accurate).

Her clothes are much less interesting, mostly because (Chrom realizes) they're probably made to fit in. It's some generic, fancy, over-embroidered, black and purple dress which clings tight around her waist and bust, but is baggy in the arms and below the hips. It also has a truly absurd neckline, and Chrom worries that the girl leaning too far forward will lead to a wardrobe malfunction.

Well, that explains how she get on Vandar's arm though. The man seemed to have a taste for women with large assets, and this assassin both has those and knows how to show them off.

"Hello Prince." The girl whispers as she approaches the cage. "Enjoying the hospitality?"

"Hardly." Chrom grunts quietly. He doesn't want the guards hearing if this is what he thinks it is.

"Well, you'll be glad to know that your sister has negotiated your release." The girl smiles.

"Gangrel doesn't seem the type to negotiate."

"Well, that's because Emmeryn didn't negotiate with Gangrel. She negotiated with Say'ri."

It takes Chrom a moment to remember who that is. Say'ri… wait, she's a _Chon'sin_ ruler.

"And by that I mean she hired a ninja. Me." The girl laughs quietly. She pulls up her dress a bit to grab a small pack tied around her leg, and pulls a lockpick out of them. "So hello! My name is Diplomacy! By that, of course, I mean my name is Robin, but I _am_ diplomacy in a roundabout way."

" _Are all ninja this chatty?_ " Chrom thinks, blinking in confused surprise. He's equally surprised when the door to his cell creaks open. This doesn't feel real.

"Now, just stay still…" Robin murmurs as she starts picking the lock on his shackles. They come open a moment later. "Ta-da!" She whispers. "Now come on, getting out is going to be a bit harder."

Chrom stands up shakily. A month of minimal food and water has left him pitifully weak. He knows immediately he won't be able to walk out of here. "I'm… I think I'm too weak, Robin."

"I know, I have a plan." The girl grins. She reaches underneath her dress into a different bag strapped on her other leg, and pulls out some supplies. "Now, come here. We have to make this quick."

It takes about ten minutes, and thankfully neither of the guards poke their head in during that time. Robin carefully applies makeup, a wig, and hair gel on that wig during that time. She also strips off Vandar's clothes, has Chrom put them on, and dresses Vandar in Chrom's clothes and puts him in the cell. She dyes his hair blue, and makes a quick tattoo on his arm of the symbol of Naga.

"It should fool them for long enough for us to escape." Robin murmurs.

"I'm still too weak to walk for long" Chrom reminds her quietly.

"I'll support you." Robin smiles. "I hope you aren't shy~!"

They link arms, and Chrom does his best to stand upright. Taking a deep breath, he lets Robin lead him out of the room.

"Just nod to the guards, smile, and hand them this money." Robin whispers. She passes Chrom the pouch of money Vandar has on him. "Then just look at me and let me lead you out."

Chrom doesn't have time to prepare before they exit the room. He locks eyes with one of the guards, and feels his pulse spike. He expects the man to immediately start ringing the alarm, but he underestimated Robin's disguising skills. The guard just raises an eyebrow, waiting.

Chrom forces a smile, reaches over, and drops the money pouch on the table in front of him. The guard opens it and his eyes widen. He grins widely, nods to Chrom, and he and his companion move back inside to their post.

The prince can already feel his legs starting to shake. He leans heavily onto Robin, resting his head on her shoulder. She rests her head on his in return, making it look like they're just cuddling. To Chrom's surprise, _none_ of the guards question this. Apparently they saw Vandar and Robin come in, so the two of them just walk out unopposed.

"Naga above…" Chrom breathes when he sees the sun setting outside. It's been too long since he's seen it.

###

The trip home is a lot more perilous than Chrom expected, but Robin's expert disguise and acting skills keep them safe. Chrom also notes some of her habits, like how she primarily uses her sex appeal over any other tactic to get by problems. Chrom doesn't disprove necessarily, but he is shocked just how easily men are swayed by a bit of cleavage and flashing some leg.

"Robin…"

"Hmm?" She smirks.

"Is this strictly necessary?" He asks weakly.

"Of course." She purrs. "We have to keep up the facade, don't we?"

Chrom swallows thickly as the girl leans into him. It wouldn't be so bad if Robin didn't insist on trying to make him as uncomfortable as possible. He can understand the girl showing off herself in front of guards and such to distract them and get him and her through without issue, but then there's no reason for her to be doing such a thing towards _him_.

" _You're a prince._ " Chrom reminds himself. He takes a deep, calming breath. " _Pretty women are nothing new, this happened all the time back at Ylisse with your suitors, there's no difference. Ignore it_."

Except, of course, there _is_ a difference. Robin is much more pleasant than those suitors. He could dare say he likes Robin, or at least enjoys her company. That alone makes it much harder to ignore when she gives him a view down her dress-

" _Nope, nope, nope._ " Chrom squeezes his eyes shut. " _Not doing that. She's a trained manipulator, she's messing with you. Ignore her._ _It doesn't matter how hot she is, her actions are all a trick, just_ _breathe_ _._ "

"Sir? Miss?" Their coach driver calls from up front. "We're half an hour from the last checkpoint before we hit the border. Just thought I'd let ya know; an advance warning."

"Thank you, my good man." Chrom says gruffly. "Keep on course."

"O' course sir."

" _Just half an hour more of this…_ " Chrom thinks. Robin presses in even closer, practically sitting in his lap. Her head rests on his shoulder, her lips tickle his ear when she breathes, and one hand rests on his chest. " _Oh gods, half an hour more of this…_ "

"Hey…" Robin whispers in his ear.

"What?" Chrom mumbles.

"Want to have some fun?"

"What kind of fun?" The prince asks cautiously.

"Well…" Robin shifts again. This time she _does_ sit in his lap, but she's facing towards him. Her hands go to his shoulders, and she smiles down at him in amusement upon noticing how he pointedly looks to the side to avoid gazing at her chest which is right in front of his face. "I have a list I'd like to add to."

"And what list is that?" Chrom asks.

"The number of royals I've laid with."

Chrom's pulse immediately starts pounding. He did _not_ just hear that. "P-Pardon?"

"You heard me." Robin's smile couldn't possibly get wider. "I'm a ninja, a kunoichi to be specific. I've lain with plenty of important people to get trust and information, including a few royals. This wouldn't be for either of those things, but I don't know any other ninjas who can brag they've bedded a member of the Ylissian royal family and I'd like to be the first."

The prince's mouth is dry, his hands clammy. "W-We're half an hour away from a checkpoint!" He hisses.

"Plenty of time." The ninja grins. "We can be quite. I'll do all the moving."

Chrom doesn't know what to do, he's panicking. He's never had to deal with a situation quite like this. "I-I I can't. No, no, uh…" He stutters. "S-Sorry, but…"

"Sorry?" She tilts her head, and laughs softly. "It's fine Chrom. It was a question, not a request. If you're not comfortable with it, I won't force you. It was a suggestion."

She gets off it, taking a seat next more casually this time. Chrom takes long, deep breathes to calm himself. His pulse hasn't stopped pounding, and he's hyper-aware of the girl next to him.

"So…" Robin says after a moment, in a much more neutral tone. "I trust that's a good demonstration of my abilities?"

Chrom blinks. "Wh-What?"

"You looked confused every time I charmed or seduced the guards or soldiers." Robin shrugs. "I gave you a demonstration. You can see how they'd be so easily swayed now, can't you?"

"Y-Yes, I can." Chrom manages to say through a dry throat. "You're very… persuasive."

Robin smirks triumphantly, and spends the rest of the time before they get to the checkpoint checking through her equipment.

Chrom is left half-stunned, trying to process what had just happened. " _Was all that just a lie to mess with me?_ " He puts a hand over his heart, feeling it pumping rapidly. " _Gods she's terrifying_."

###

"Chrom!" Lissa lunges at him and hugs her brother violently as soon as he steps through the door. The prince smiles tiredly and pats his sister on the back.

"Milord!" Frederick's reaction is much more subdued, there's no hug from him, but his relief is obvious. "It is a relief to see you well!"

"No concern for me? I'm hurt." Robin quips. Since they got to Ylisse, she's returned to dressing as she usually would. The best way Chrom knows how to describe it is a tight brown dress with (as Chrom has come to expect from Robin) a plunging neckline and a hemline that just barely covers her modesty. She has several other adornments, like leather plating bound on her hips and upper leg, her lower leg, and upper and lower arms, as well as a tight black sash around her waist and a number of pouches and daggers attached to it. Her hair is no longer nearly dragging along the floor and is instead tightly braided.

If anything, it looks even _more_ immodest than the revealing dresses she was in before.

"Yes, well, I suppose it is good to see you in good health." Frederick says curtly.

Robin shakes her head. "Don't sound _too_ worried there buddy."

Frederick ignores her. "Lady Emmeryn would have come to greet you, but she's currently in council. She said she would try to drop by later."

"Alright." Chrom nods. "In the meantime, then, I'm going to go sleep. It feels like forever since I've slept in a proper bed…"

"All the other shepherds are going to want to see you." Frederick warns.

"They can do it tomorrow." Chrom sighs. "Frederick, I'm exhausted."

"As you wish Milord."

The prince extracts himself from his little sister, still patting her on the back, and then makes his way up to his room. He enters, turns to close the door, and then pauses at noticing that Robin has followed him. "Uh… can I help you Robin?"

"I was thinking _I_ could help _you_." Robin smiles. Chrom is instantly wary. A smile from Robin is always a sign she's up to something. "As a kunoichi, I'm trained in a lot more than combat and assassination. I'm trained to spy, charm, seduce, and so on. Part of seduction and charm can also mean doing menian favors like, say… a massage."

Chrom is actually tempted. A massage would feel _fantastic_ , but… he does not trust Robin in the slightest. Well, he trusts her with his life, but after that shock in the carriage he's wary of anything nice from her just being a way to test her skills or to manipulate him. Just because she was helping him doesn't mean she isn't also trying to get information out of him. She _does_ work for Say'ri after all. He can't trust this isn't a trick. "I'm good Robin."

"Are you sure? I can do more than that. The offer for _fun_ still stands!" She offers cheekily.

"No Robin."

"C'mon."

"Out."

"Fine…"

###

"Awesome!" Lissa gasps.

"Oh no." Chrom mutters.

"Oh yes." Robin grins. She waves the letter in front of his face. "See for yourself."

Chrom snatches the letter and reads it over. It's from Say'ri, addressed to Robin, telling her that she is to help the Ylissians in their war against Plegia in any way possible to stop Gangrel from expanding his power to dangerous amounts. Also… "what's this part about 'don't mess around with the prince too much'?" Chrom asks warily.

Robin plucks the letter out of her hand, and slips it into her cleavage. "I have a bit of a reputation for having undue fun with royals. Remember that list I mentioned?"

"Naga preserve me." Chrom moans. He just prays that Robin will mostly stay away from them.

"Oh, and I should bring up: Emmeryn said I should talk to you about joining something called the Shepherds."

" _Why sister!? Why!?_ " Chrom forces a smile. "The Shepherds are our elite fighting unit, sent to do special missions. I agree with Emmeryn, your skills would be quite useful with us."

"Us?"

"Well, _I_ lead the Shepherds." Chrom says. "And Lissa is part of them too."

"Ahh…!" Robin's eyes light up eagerly. "I see!"

"We're going to have a meeting tomorrow, so I'll introduce you then." The prince sighs. He's going to have to deal with this girl all the time now. "I think you'll get along well with some of them. Virion comes to mind."

"Ah, Lord Virion of Rosanne?" Robin smirks. "We've met before."

"I don't want to know." Chrom says quickly. Considering the archer's penchant for flirting, and how Robin does much the same thing, he doesn't want to think about what that entails.

Robin chuckles at his reaction. "Virion probably doesn't want you to know either. If you ever want a laugh, ask him about me."

"Noted."

"Ooh…" Lissa seems interested now. "Tell me, tell me!"

Robin taps the side of her nose. "Confidential, sorry. Ask him."

Lissa eagerly rushes off to do just that, leaving Chrom and Robin alone. The prince immediately looks for a way out. "Well, erm, I have some other matters to attend to, so I'll just be off…"

"I see. I'll go… see some things." Robin says vaguely.

Chrom is instantly wary. He almost forgot; Robin, while she may be on their side, is a foreign agent. Who knows what snooping she might get up to on her own? She's a ninja too. He can't rely on the guards keeping her out of certain places (and seeing what he has of her skills, he doubts the guards would keep her out anyways even if she didn't sneak in). No, it'll be better to keep her in sight of someone he can trust… or himself.

"Change of plans. You're coming with me." Chrom says firmly.

Her eyebrows quick up. "Ooh, where are we going?" She leans forwards with a conspiratorial whisper, and slightly tugs open the top of her dress. "Your bedroom perhaps?"

"No." Chrom says firmly. "We're going to get an update on Plegian movements from the Strategy Room, and I'll inform you of some of our plans."

"Well, that works too." Robin shrugs.

It doesn't take long to get to the Strategy Room. A few of the generals are there, quietly conversing over a map with several pins in it. They're all old, noble, rich men. Some of them are worthy of respect. The others, however, clearly got their position due to being nobility or through their wealth. If Chrom had his way, those men would have been replaced a long time ago. Emmeryn doesn't want to ruffle any feathers at the moment however, so he's had to refrain from kicking them out.

"General Dullberry." Chrom nods as he enters. "Duke Themisia, General Hawtank, General Arbnest." His mouth thins in distaste at the last man. "Duke Albinioth."

The Duke of Albinon, Harold Albinioth, has a special place in Chrom's heart for people who disgust him. Not only is he a fat, slothful, messy man who'd probably wallow in his own filth if it weren't for his servants, but he's not nearly as smart as he likes to say he is.

Really, that's just icing though. He hates this man mostly because he had the audacity to try and pressure Emmeryn into marriage at one point to "bring stability to the realm through a strong noble connection".

While technically that might have been true, the fact still remains that he was a fifty-something man trying to marry a twenty year old, and unabashedly trying to get himself into the royal family without having anything beyond his noble standing being worth more than a copper.

"Ah, Prince Chrom." General Dullberry greets. Despite what his name might suggest, the man is anything _but_ dull. He's the oldest of the people here, bordering on ninety years old. He has Chrom's utmost respect. He was actually Chrom's strategy tutor at one point (before it became clear that Chrom lacked the talent for it) and was the one who suggested Emmet to the Shepherds. "And…?"

"Robin." Chrom provides. "She's a gift from Say'ri to help our cause, and responsible for my rescue."

"Ah, the ninja." Duke Themisia nods. "Hello there girl. I presume you're both here for an update on Plegian movements then?"

"You know me so well." Chrom smiles. He stands at the edge of the table. "Tell me what you know."

Robin pays close attention to the proceedings and information. She's surprisingly silent the entire time, merely nodding with each point General Dullberry and the Duke of Themis bring up.

"But of course," General Hawtank interrupts. "We musn't forget the possibility of a cavalry ambush here."

"From _where_ my good man?" The Duke of Themis asks patiently.

"Why, from the mountains of course!" General Hawtank says confidently.

The Duke of Themis blinks slowly. "Erm…"

"Yeah, that's not gonna work." Robin says abruptly. "Hoses don't do well on rocky terrain, and trying to _charge_ down a rocky mountainside or mountain trail is just asking for broken legs and falling off cliffs. Now, a _wyvern_ ambush is perfectly feasible, but cavalry would suicide for them."

"Indeed." General Dullberry agrees. He looks at Robin appraisingly. "Plegia possesses very few horses to begin with. Such an attempt would be a horrendous risk of valuable resources."

Chrom hides his amusement at General Hawtank's shocked expression at being so effortlessly rebuffed. Maybe this meeting won't be so bad.

###

Despite Robin's frequent seduction attempts, Chrom does start to consider a friend. When she doesn't decide she wants to see him sputter and panic, they play a variety of board and card games in their free time, and frequently talk about their respective life experiences. Chrom is very cagey about revealing anything that might be used to exploit him, but he enjoys the conversations nonetheless.

Still, he always has a nagging doubt in the back of his head. A doubt that whispers that Robin only entertains these conversations to keep his trust, because she _has_ to due to Say'ri assigning her to them. That nagging doubt whispers that everything she does is because she's a ninja, a _spy_ , and so she maintains good relationships with him out of the hope she'll eventually catch him in a slip-up, or that she'll be able to use this trust for a favor in the future.

This is why Chrom hates politics. It feels terrible to know someone he likes might not return the feeling, and might be trying to exploit him. If Robin weren't an agent of Say'ri he'd have no such worries, but being an agent of another country makes her untrustworthy.

"Come on, just a kiss then?"

And her frequent seduction attempts don't help him trust her either. "No Robin."

"Just one? I want to add to that list."

"I thought that list was people you had sex with."

"Yeah, but kissing a Ylissian prince is still more than others can say!"

Chrom sighs. "The answer is still no Robin."

"Why?" The girl asks. "I'm genuinely curious now."

"I need to remain vigilant against attempts to pry information out of me or manipulate me." Chrom says firmly.

"And you think I'm trying to do that."

"I _know_ you're trying to do that."

"Hmm…" Robin hums. "You're rather smart."

Chrom isn't sure if he's happy or not to have this sort of confirmation. "So you _were_ trying to manipulate me."

"To an extent." She blinks. "I _was_ checking to see how easy you were to manipulate, I admit. However, even if you were easy to manipulate, it isn't like I would have killed you or blackmailed you."

"Yet."

"Yet." Robin nods. "But, unless Ylisse posed a threat to Chon'sin, I would never have need to make use of that knowledge." She pauses for a moment, then adds. "And I wasn't _lying_ about that list. I had multiple motives."

"I see…" Chrom is reassured at the very least to have her motives out in the open, even if she outright admitted to a bit of manipulation and ulterior motives. "Er, Robin?"

"Yes?"

"I have a question."

"Hmm?"

"How exactly does seduction work?" Chrom asks genuinely. "I mean, I know the superficial trappings, but I've never really understood how it works. Maybe that's just me being male, but…"

Robin blinks in surprise. Chrom has shown little interest in her work thus far, but then again he's always seen a bit wary of her. Was that confession of her motives really enough to garner his trust? "You're interested?"

"Not in _learning_ , I'm just… curious." Chrom admits nervously. "You have a bunch of skills, not just seduction, that I just don't understand. I've always had trouble understanding the basics of stealth, deception, disguise, and so on."

"Ah…" Robin smirks. She rubs her hands together. "Well, it's not often I have someone who's curious and _isn't_ trying to order an assassination. I'm happy to explain, and maybe teach a thing or two."

"Really?"

"Of course!" Robin looks genuinely excited. "I love teaching a friend! However…"

" _Here it comes_."

"Say'ri would disapprove of me giving away the secrets of ninja training for nothing. So, in return, I want you to teach me something." Robin says. "Something I wouldn't know."

"That's fair." Chrom mumbles. He rests his chin on his hand to think. Something useful that's equivalent to ninja training, and that Robin wouldn't already know. That's quite difficult actually, Chrom doesn't have any special skills of his own. "How much do you know about the workings of Ylisse?"

Robin arcs an eyebrow. This is _quite_ a bit more than she was expecting to get. "Chrom, I was only requesting some skill or art, not national secrets."

"Well, I wasn't offering national secrets." Chrom chuckles. "I was just asking if you know Ylisse's general situation after the war."

"I know a thing or two…" Robin murmurs. "But not too much."

"How about this: you teach me one thing, I tell you something. We'll go back and forth."

"Fair enough." Robin nods. She sits back on the stool and crosses her legs. "Seduction then. Hmm… okay, first, what do _you_ think seduction is?"

"Well…" Chrom fidgets. "All I really know is that it's about looking nice, and not being a threat?"

"Sort of." Robin says. "First, I'll address the superficial stuff. The easiest way I can explain it is that being physically attractive is _useful_ , but usually _not_ necessary. As long as one isn't ugly, they can seduce. Now, being attractive certainly _helps_ , but not quite as much as one might expect."

That's news to Chrom. He thought seduction was _mostly_ about physical appearance.

"Now, I'll be talking about female to male seduction, because male to female tends to be a bit different. A lot of the same fundamentals apply, but the nuances change things." Robin says. "The first thing to understand when seducing a target is preference. Usually they have one, and it's useful to cater to that. If not feasible you can usually get away with _not_ catering, it's only relevant if they're _very_ particular."

Chrom blinks. "Really? So if they like, say… long legs?"

"Then it can be useful to cater to that, but usually it isn't _necessary_ unless they're extremely picky." Robin affirms. "So, like I was saying, it's really mostly about attitude. They way you dress can be fairly useful too, though that's more relevant when seducing women than with men."

"What do you mean by attitude?"

"Well, there's a few general approaches one can try. However, the essentials involve flirtation signals, even if you're intentionally being rude or hard to get." Robin explains. "Body language is far more important than anything you could say. Eye contact is important, and smiling (unless you're trying to _appear_ opposed). Also, at this point the woman should be posing herself a bit. Show off the legs if they're sitting down, maybe by crossing them. They pout their lips a bit, and expose the neck if they're trying to look submissive. If they have breasts, they should emphasize them now by sitting up straight or even slipping one of their arms under them."

The ninja demonstrates. She does all the above: she looks Chrom in the eyes and smiles subtly. Her lips pout, and her head tilts to the side just a bit. Her legs cross, drawing attention to them with the action and also highlighting their softness and plumpness. She also slides one arm under her chest, which hoists them a bit.

"See?"

"I do." Chrom says, flushing a bit. "You said you only tilt your head to appear _submissive_ though?"

"Well, if you're being aggressive, the head tilt _can_ still be used. For example…" She stands, and gestures for Chrom to do the same. He does, and as soon as he's on his feet she sashays over to him, pressing her body against his forcefully, and wrapping her arms around him. "See, now, _I'm_ the one on offense, but I can still play the head tilt." She tilts her head a bit, this time combining it with an amused smirk. "It's still technically a submission signal, but it becomes sarcastic or mocking when used in an aggressive context. A joke, _playful_ , assertive."

She steps back, changes her stance, and approaches him again. This time her face has a scowl, but she uses all the other little tips she just mentioned like pouting her lips and such. The effect is making her look _reluctant_ or _annoyed_ , but not unwilling.

"See?" She glances at him. "Doing _that_ , looking angry but hinting with the body that there's a chance, is also effective. Now, it's not suggested you go with that unless you know the target will pursue. Being assertive or just using standard seduction is more generally applicable. Going tsundere isn't everyone's cup of tea."

"I see." And Chrom _does_ see. He understands. He can see (and feel, from his racing heart) how devastatingly effective these simple things are.

"Now, most of what I've just told you is the basics of flirting." Robin says, taking a seat again. "And seduction _is_ based in flirting. However, as kunoichi, we often have to seduce targets who are already married. Doing _that_ is a bit harder, unless they're already inclined to be unfaithful. Facilitating an affair is a matter of enticing a measure of excitement of doing something forbidden, and finding some part of their marital life they're unhappy with to poke holes at."

"Do… do you do that often? Break up marriages?"

"Ah, ah, ah." Robin waggles a finger. "I'm just teaching you how seduction works. I can't give away potentially important information."

"Right." Maybe it's best not to think about that…

"So, everything beyond that is mostly just practice and refining your own skills." Robin says. "I could go into detail about all the minutia of body language, but I've told you the important stuff. It's body language, being willing, and being confident in your body and abilities. Confidence is key above all else."

"Right… I suppose it's my turn then?" Chrom says.

"Yes." Robin leans forward. "I'm curious as to what you have to offer."

"Well, let me tell you about Ylisse in the aftermath of the war…"

###

"Surprise…" Robin whispers. She lunges out from the trees, effortlessly slitting the throat of the Risen sorcerer who was walking by. A follow-up slash to the back of the neck, just for safety, sees the monster dissipate into purple smoke.

This is a dangerous situation. The Shepherds are scattered, the Risen overwhelming. However, the Shepherds seem to be all alive. They broke off in teams, and there were no severe injuries at the time. It was only the threat of the sorcerer Robin just killed that split them apart. The Shepherds had feared a fireball blowing apart their tight formation, and so they scattered into pre-planned teams.

Robin, however, has gotten _properly_ separated. She's supposed to be with Chrom and Frederick right now. A group of great knights had smashed through the three of them, and Robin had been forced to flee to the forest for safety.

Now it's just a matter of returning to the rendezvous point. If the mission went sideways, they were to fall back to their launch point. It's only an hour away. On her own, it's going to take longer though. She can fight individual Risen if she needs to, but not groups.

Robin sneaks through the trees. She avoids moving on the ground when she can, preferring the canopy. She's careful how many knives she throws, she only has so many.

The Risen in this area of Ylisse seem to be mostly old Plegian soldiers, which explains the large number of dark mages and the sorcerer. It also explains the wyvern riders that she constantly has to avoid.

With her exceptional stealth, Robin manages to get to the edge of the forest over the course of an hour. Now comes the tricky part. She needs to cross some open plains and reach the rocky outcropping the Shepherds staged this attack from. The other Shepherds should be arriving there by now if everything went according to plan. People are going to realize she's not there fairly soon as well. She hopes it doesn't start a panic.

" _I need a straight line._ " Robin thinks as she gazes at the field of Risen. This area was clear just three hours ago when they walked through, but with all the Risen rushing to try and chase down the Shepherds they've pushed all the way here. They're slowing wandering in various directions, drifting apart. " _There. As long as I can deal with that axeman I can get through there. Alright… go!_ "

Robin breaks out of the trees, dashing as quickly as she can across the grass. Her feet pound rhythmically on the ground as she blazes past a number of monsters. She pulls out a dagger as she runs, and throws it at the one axeman in her path. It buries up into the hilt in the monster's head, and thankfully that's enough to kill it. Robin moves right through its disintegrating body and, with no other opposition, outpaces her pursuers over the course of several minutes before reaching some sparse trees and again taking cover in the canopy.

It takes another half hour to reach the rendezvous point, making her travel time about one hour and forty five minutes in total. She arrives to a huge shouting match, apparently about her.

"I refuse to allow it Milord." Frederick says firmly.

"I, reluctantly, agree." Virion says. "As much it pains me to abandon such a lovely lady and comrade, it would be inadvisable to rush off to her aid, not knowing where she is. T'would be a suicide mission."

"We _have_ to though! I won't abandon her!" Chrom snarls. "We've waited long enough! I'll go after her all on my own if I have to!"

Robin is surprised at the prince's vehement insistence on finding her. She knew the prince was very protective of his friends, and is quite touched it extends to her. The prince always seemed very distrustful of her, though he was always polite, so Robin is genuinely happy. She thought her over-the-top flirting had put him off.

Chrom and Frederick have continued shouting during this time, and Robin shakes herself out of her thoughts. She needs to break up this fight. The ninja jumps out of the tree she's hiding in and lands next to the men. "So, what'd I miss?"

"Wha- Robin!?" Chrom exclaims.

"Yeah?"

There's a few smirks shared among the Shepherds at seeing the prince thrown for a loop so quickly. All his fury and determination is snuffed out. "What happened, where were you?" He asks numbly.

"When we got split up I had to sneak back, and that's kinda slow. I was in the trees for a long time." Robin shrugs. "So, is everything good? Everyone else made it back?"

"Y-Yeah, everyone's good." Chrom mumbles. "Uh, are you up for a strategy meeting now, or do you need healing?"

"I'm good! Let's make a new plan."

"Right." Chrom breathes. He's frazzled beyond all belief at the moment. Steeling himself, he pushes his emotions aside, and decides to focus on the strategy meeting. He can sort through his thoughts later. "Virion, Frederick! We've got plans to discuss!"

###

"That's so weird…" Robin murmurs. "So, because all the young men died in the war, that's why all positions of power are manned by old people or people who are too young?"

"Exactly."

"And that's why you have so many suitors, because there's too few men? I mean, along with your status of course."

"Yes." Chrom nods. "At least I presume so. This was going on during the war too, not just after it. Father was considering extending conscription to women, as loathe as he was to think of them as capable of violence."

"What a lovely man…" Robin snorts.

"Overstatement of the century." Chrom grimaces. "Not that I was aware of his nature at the time. I was too young."

"What other effects were there from this lack of men?" Robin presses further.

"Well, it was somewhat useful in helping Emmeryn instate gender equality laws because women had already been doing stereotypically 'male' duties for a while." Chrom offers. "It's grim to think that way, but all those deaths did help Emmeryn push along her reforms. Without the male deaths women would never have been forced to step in, something even the old traditionalists couldn't refute the necessity of in order to keep the war going."

"I'm not saying the war was _good_ , but…"

"It had its uses." Chrom sighs. "I only wish the reforms could have been instantiated without a war, the loss of life, and so on."

"Well of course, but reality is seldom that forgiving."

"Unfortunately." Chrom agrees.

They spend a moment in silent contemplation. Chrom more so than Robin. Learning the social reality of Ylisse was a large part of his teenage years when he learned how to be a prince.

"Robin?" Chrom mutters. There's something he needs to get off his chest. It's totally unrelated to the topic at hand, but he doesn't know when he'll get more time alone with Robin, or if he'll ever pluck up the courage again.

"Yes?"

"Remember when you took a long time to get back from those Risen we retreated from and found me and Frederick arguing?"

"Yeah?"

"Well… I… I was worked up because" Chrom chokes on his own words for a moment, trying to find the right way to put it. Robin jumps on the opportunity to make a joke.

"Lemme guess, you were in love with me and want to help me with my list?" Robin says with a cheeky grin and a wiggle of her eyebrows.

"No! Well, no to the latter thing, not the first."

Robin blinks once, then twice. "Wait, wait, run that by me again."

"Erm… I've developed an affection for you."

"And you _don't_ want sex!? What's wrong with you!?" Robin shouts suddenly, startling the prince. "I mean, I'm flattered and all that, but seriously! Wait, are you asexual?"

"No…?"

"Oh thank Naga." Robin breathes.

" _Excuse_ you." Chrom frowns. "That's rude."

"No, no, I'm not saying there's something wrong with being asexual." Robin clarifies. "But, uh, I'm kinda a fan of sex, so… it may have been an issue if you were agaist it."

"Wait, wait, so does that mean you-"

"Oh right, I should have said that before. I'm totally good for a relationship." Robin says. "I thought you weren't interested!"

"Why?!"

"Because you said no to sex! Seriously! Why!?" Robin pouts.

"Because I still had, and have, worries of manipulation and secret stealing? And because I've never done it before and don't want to make a fool of myself. Also, in Ylisse sex before marriage is frowned upon."

Robin looks aghast. "Good gods, what sort of hellscape is Ylisse!?"

"Very funny Robin."

"I know, right?" Robin sighs and sits back. "You still have worries you said?"

"Well, you're still a spy for Say'ri." Chrom reminds her.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean I can't have a _life_ Chrom."

"I'm not worried about the relationship not being able to exist, I'm worried about you giving information to Say'ri."

"Why? We're allies."

"So, of course, that means I should be worried about you poking into information about our money, all our internal workings, and so on?" Chrom asks sarcastically.

"Well…" Robin sighs. "Chrom."

"Yes?"

"If we want this relationship to work, I'd have to quit my job." Robin says bluntly.

"Oh. Oh…" Chrom sags like a deflating frog. "I didn't think this through. Sorry Robin. I don't want to make you do something like that."

"Well, it's not _too_ big a deal to give up for a marriage." Robin shrugs. "I could have a similar job in Ylisse, but I think I should wait on that step until we're engaged."

"That's fair." Chrom nods. "As long as you're alright with that. I don't want to pull you away from your life."

"Meh, it's fine." Robin shrugs. "I mean, I woke up in Chon'sin without a memory three years ago, so it's not like I have much of a life to be pulled away from."

"What?!"

"Did I never mention that? I'm an amnesiac."

"You didn't. Wow, okay." Chrom murmurs. He massages the bridge of his nose. "Well, I suppose that's the process of getting to know someone. Just… woah."

Robin laughs a bit. "Now just imagine how I felt."

"Oh gods…"

* * *

 **Does that work as an ending? Sure, yeah.**

* * *

 **bauers374** **:** You're joking, right? I'm never going to catch up. Robin knows Marth is a girl just by looking and listening. Not everyone is fooled.

 **Zero kami no mu** **:** Being blunt and emotionally scarring people are two very different things. I'll put blunt on the list though.

 **Guest** **:** Hmm… okay. That's an interesting one…

 **Darkness is complete** **:** I'll put those down.

 **1silvergamer2** **:** Ahh, good old D&D. I'm familiar with the concept.

 **bwburke94** **:** Indeed. Fixed.

 **Cyberchao X :** :D


	59. Therapist Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **Minor: Dark Flier, Immortal, Boxer (Pugilist), Exploitive, Swordmaster, Angry Cinnamon Roll, Tripping, Perpetual Cheer, Chef, Blacksmith, Pegasus Knight, Teacher, Librarian, Masochist, Literal-Minded, Authoritative, Wyvern Rider, Phobia, Thicc, Tsundere, Damsel in Distress, Gangrel's Child, Wyvern Rider, Child, Communist, Bomber, Bear Cavalry, Flying, ADHD, Super Strength, Patriotic, Martial Artist, Scottish, Sassy, One Liner, Seamstress, Shephard, Speedy, Cool, Shy, Bookworm, Mercenary, Sweet, Kung Fu, Buff, Lazy, Wingless Flight, Blunt.**

 **Standard: Elemental, Deaf, Foreign, Future sight, Nurse/Medic, Valmese Tactician, Medusa, Amazon, Genderfluid, Gift from Validar + evil to good, Mimic, Emotionless, Crippling Overspecialization (Idiot Savant), Coward, ESP, POW, PTSD, Magician, Mute, Handicapped, Secret Helper, Crazy, Morpher, Dreamwalker, Twins, Regenerating, Animal Whisperer, Naga/Tiki Assistant, Deadly Touch, Mind Reader, Doppelganger, Arachne, D &D magic, Umbramancer, Horror Monster, Dominatrix, Songstress, Kinky, Matchmaker, Androphobic, Illusionist, Attraction Aura, Ring Maker, Therapist, Teleporting, Crippled, Puppet, Broken, Hallucination, Depressed, Slave, Love Curse, Detective, Geokinetic, Trauma.**

 **Unlikely: Chrom's child, Minotaur, Paladin, Werewolf, Assassin, Future Soldier, Bounty Hunter, Weather control, Kleptomaniac, Druid, Steampunk, Shadow Familiar, Magic Augmentation, Lucky, Exile, Piper (Charmer), Gladiator, Witch Doctor, Centaur, Drunk, Demon, Punk, Harpy, Revenant, Luck Manipulation, Demon Summoner, Megalomaniac, Kitsune, King of Plegia, Mood Ring, Reverse Aging, Hammerspace, Prostitute, Demon Hunter, Cyborg, Maid/Servant/Butler, Deadlord, Rebellion, Einherjar, Trap, Yandere, Living Weapon, Size Shifter, Queen of Plegia, Gluttonous, Stretchy, Alchemist, Protoss, Spirit Manipulation, Invisible, Plegian Honor Guard, Mecha, Kryptonian, Creator, Orc, Memory Stealing Respawn, Racer, Khan, Misfortune, Vampire Hunter, Geokinetic, Imaginary Actualization, Death, Resurrection, Force, Merchant, Background Music, Variable, Civilian, Natural Disaster, Mental Noise Projection, Hidden OP, Summoner, Cyclops, Teleporter, Cryokinetic, Genie, Judge, Intangibility, Fortune Teller, Future Vision, Serial Killer, Pervert, Magic Fixit, Drakengard Restoration, Ying-Yang, Childhood Friend, Cyberpunk, Chrom's Mother, Obsessed, Berserker, Phase Shift, Gravity Manipulation, Hallucinating, Bladesoul, Zombie, Double Entendre, Shared Body/Two Souls, Cannibal, Singer, Violent, Insane, Waterbender, Casanova, Cupid, Undertaker, Master Thief, Guard, Faceless, Shadow, Age Control, Cradle Snatcher, Emo, Singer, Nun, Courier, Haunted Knight Armor, Egyptian, Sentient Object, Shit Lord, Court Wizard, Naga's sibling, Mad Queen, Artist, Predator, Cheshire Cat, Radio Host, Chimera, Wendigo, Witch, Symbiote, Hivemind, Hammerspace, Anna, Mother Nature, Psychopath, Stripper, Painting, Grima Parts, Knightmare, Super, Swimsuit, Bunny Outfit, One Punch, Idol, Chef, Rampage, Housewife, Determination, Vessel of Naga, Instant Expert, Time Travel, Hermit, Alternate Dimension 'Twin', Legendary, Resistance, Memory Regain, Umbra Witch, Naga, Aquatic, Hexblade Warlock, Dragon, Demon of Choice, Demon of Temptation, Affliction, Good Samaritan, Gallant, Rosannite Tactician, Leeroy.**

 **Other: Second Generation replacement, Dimensional Walker, Cycle, Fates.**

 **So, originally this was going to be Broken Robin, but that quirk is apparently really hard to use. The story of Awakening doesn't lend itself well to such a quirk, and if I changed around what I was doing we'd probably end up with something like Consistent Amnesia Robin. So instead I'll do Therapist Robin, as suggested by AuraPheonix1500.**

* * *

"It's unfair!" Cordelia whines. Her heat meets the table in frustration, and Robin takes the opportunity to silently take away her mug of beer. "Wh-Why does _Sumia_ get him and not meee?"

"Well, why do _you_ think that is?" Robin asks. He wasn't planning on this being an impromptu counselling session, but so be it. It would help is Cordelia was sober, but at least she'll be more truthful here. He subtly pulls out a quill, ink, and paper, and sets it on the table when the girl isn't looking. She's drunk enough that she doesn't seem to notice it when she looks back.

"It's… It's gotta be b-because she has boobs." Cordelia says after a moment. "That has to be it! He _knows_..."

"Really now? You think _bust size_ is something Chrom cares about?" Robin asks with a raised eyebrow. "It's a wonder you care for his attention at all if you think he's that shallow."

"W-Well no, th-that's n-not it." Cordelia stutters. "I-I don't really…"

"Then what is it?"

"I…" Cordelia sighs. "I c-could never talk to him. H-He's just intimidating."

"Really?"

"Yes! H-He's a _prince_!"

"I see…" Well, that explains _so_ much. Cordelia never actually talked to Chrom in a casual context so she never learned that he's one of the _least_ intimidating and nicest nobles you could ever meet as long as you're not actively against him.

"A-And Sumia always u-used to encourage me to k-keep trying, but now she's gone off a-and _taken_ him!" Cordelia whines. "E-Except she didn't, b-because it's not h-her fault, b-b-because I said she could g-get close to him b-because I know I'm _hopeless_!"

"I wouldn't quite describe nervousness in situations hoped to be romantic as being hopeless." Robin says reassuringly.

"B-But I couldn't talk to him!"

"Yes, you couldn't." Robin agrees. "But that can be worked on."

"It's too laaaate!"

"For you former intention, yes, it is." Robin says. "But that is not the end of the world. You can still attempt to fix your nervousness so this sort of self stressing doesn't occur again, or at least to smaller effect."

"It won't be worth it anymore…"

"Yes, it will. Again, this is not the end of the world."

"Then why does it f-feel like it?"

"Because you're very very drunk."

###

"Is this the part where you ask 'how does that make you feel'?" Severa asks dryly.

"Well yes." Robin chuckles. "That _is_ the core of my style of therapy you know. Though it's a bit more involved than a simple 'angry' or 'sad'."

"How so?"

"Well, this is something that can be best demonstrated by walking through it." Robin says. "So, your gripe: you're mad that your mother is so perfect… but _why_ are you mad? What about that makes you mad? What about that seems _wrong_ to you?"

Severa gives the man a long, shrewd look. She's here more or less because Lucina and Laurent nudged her into it. Is she really going to spill her guts to this puke-haired, sallow-skinned, perpetually tired-looking, stick-thin, possibly former grimleal?

Well, if she came back from this and told Lucina that she didn't even try, everyone would be disappointed, so Severa guesses she _has_ to at this point.

"Well…" She grumbles. "I mean, it's annoying that she's so far above everyone. It's like she's showing off, or rubbing it in our faces at how _perfect_ she is."

"How so?"

"I just told you!"

"No, _how_ is she rubbing it in our faces?"

"By being so far above everyone!"

"That's not a reason, that's circular logic." Robin says bluntly. " _Why_ is that a problem?"

Severa grits her teeth. This is getting on her nerves. "Why does it matter to you?"

"It doesn't." Robin says bluntly, but calmly. "It matters to _you_ though, otherwise you wouldn't be getting agitated about it."

The redhead seethes. She hates that he's probably right.

"So, again, why is it a problem that she's so far above everyone?" Robin asks softly. "What's wrong with her being better?"

"It- I-" Severa feels like it should be obvious, but she doesn't know how to say it, and it's _frustrating_.

"Take your time, we're in no rush." Robin soothes. "Well, I mean, dinner is in an hour, but I doubt this will take that long."

With that said, Severa takes a minute to think. More accurately she broods, but at least it's a way to get her thoughts in order. "So… just let me get everything out before saying anything, got it?"

Robin nods. He rests his wet quill against the paper patiently.

"So, uh, Mom… she's… she's perfect." Severa restates slowly. "Right? So, because she's perfect, there's all these problems that wouldn't happen if she _wasn't_ perfect. If she wasn't perfect, she wouldn't be so busy keeping perfect. She wouldn't be too busy for me, she wouldn't be too busy to actually be a good _wife_ to Father, she wouldn't be alone with her thoughts too much and obsesses over Prince Chrom…"

The tactician quietly scribbles notes. Severa isn't done. She's staring up at the ceiling as she speaks.

"And that's not it either! It's not just that she doesn't have time, it's that her being perfect also colors other people's opinions of _me_." Severa growls. "People expect _me_ to follow in her footsteps. 'Severa, why don't you know how to fly a pegasus'? 'Severa, why don't you know how to use a spear?' 'Severa' why are you resting for _two_ _seconds_ rather than working yourself half to death?' and all the other bullshit like that."

Robin nods slowly. "Anything else?" He whispers.

"I get the feeling Mom _also_ expects me to be like her." Severa murmurs quietly. "Like she thinks I'm not living up to her legacy…" Her expression sours. "And who's fault is _that_ when she doesn't spend enough time at home for me to care?"

"Indeed…" Robin murmurs. "Is that all?"

"About all I can think of." Severa sighs.

"Well, that's quite a decent bit." Robin hums.

Yeah, I know, I'm a handful." The girl mutters bitterly.

"I said it was a decent bit, not necessarily more than usual." Robin interjects. "Your problems are not so unusual."

"Wha- What!?" Severa suddenly shouts. "No! Not everyone has a _perfect_ mother!"

"True, but they have the same general feelings towards their mothers as yourself." The man explains calmly. He's tempted to say " _stop assuming you're special, you're not, none of us are, everything that's happened to us has happened to millions of others_ " but he doubts that would go over well.

"I- Well- Yeah, I guess…" She says weakly. It looks like she lost her steam halfway through that haphazard, stuttered stream of words.

Robin already knows a bit more about Severa than the girl realizes. She's pretty standard. Parental neglect issues, parental and societal expectation issues, anger issues, self-image issues, and just normal teenage/young adult hostility. There's a few 'solutions' to her problems, most of which involve chilling out and either (or both) actually having an open talk with her mother, and/or not tying her own worth and life so closely to her parents and becoming more properly independent.

Sure, the future children may have lived on their own for years, but clearly some of them are still obsessed about their parents, they structure their lives around their parent's legacy or what their parents wanted to do rather than pursuing their own life goals.

Now, granted, they're embroiled in a war for the future of the world, so not focusing on your own goals understandable at the moment, and they didn't have much time with their parents overall, so a bit of thought has to be given to that...

It's a bit more complicated than what Robin has just thought, but he would like to think he has a point.

"Alright, so with all that said." Robin murmurs. "What do you _want_?"

"What?"

"What do you want?" Robin repeats. "Relating to your mother and all the issues surrounding her, what result do you want?"

"I want her to be less perfect." Severa growls.

"Yes, but _why_? It's not the perfection itself that annoys you, it's the results of that perfection."

"I…" Severa looks reluctant to speak, but forces herself to do so. "Mother never had time for me or Dad or _anyone_ but Prince Chrom in the future. I just want more time with her, but also for her to not be talking about Prince Chrom all the time."

"Well…" Robin murmurs. "First, we must recognize that neither of us can, or should, control Cordelia, yes? You can only control your own actions. If you want more time with Cordelia, then you need to actively pursue it rather than resorting to your usual passive-aggressive tendencies."

"And if it doesn't work?"

"Then try something else, or move on." Robin says.

"Move on? Like, don't bother with her?" Severa sounds alarmed.

"Yes." The man says honestly. "If something is going to hurt you more than help you, like trying and failing to develop a relationship with your mother, _don't bother_ , and pursue other things that _will_ make you happy."

Now, Robin doesn't think Cordelia is quite so hopeless (he doesn't know how bad she was in Severa's world, but he hopes she isn't as bad now), but there _is_ the possibility that Severa won't be able to develop a functional relationship with her. He hopes that isn't the case, but he feels it's important to establish that there _is_ another option than just solving the problem. Sometimes burning a bridge _is_ the right choice. Usually a last resort, but still a legitimate choice. He doesn't want Severa to feel that her _only_ option is to try and repair her strained relationship, because keeping an unhealthy relationship because you think it's the only choice is a dangerous way to think.

"However, I would suggest that to be a last resort." Robin adds. Severa and her mother's relationship is not abusive, just strained. He doesn't want to present burning that bridge as a _first_ choice. "Unless you feel the situation is beyond saving."

"Of course not!" Severa huffs.

"Good. Then the question is only what _you_ will do to try and bring about what you want." The tactician whispers. "Passivity and hints have failed, so action is required. _Your_ action. Be forthright, be honest, but as much as you can, don't be _hostile_ or your entire goal will be undermined."

"Right." Severa takes a deep breath. She wasn't expecting this to go the way it did, she was expecting to get tired with Robin really quickly and shrug him off after a few minutes. "Uh, thanks."

"Any time."

###

"Do you need to talk?" Robin calls out. To an observer, it would seem he's speaking to himself. He's standing near the supply tent with no one in front of him. "I just need to drop this inventory list off with Emmet, I have some free time after that."

There's a pause. The faint noise of conversation from elsewhere in the camp drifts over to the supply tent. Just like everywhere they camp, the area has ended up smelling faintly of mud and sweat from dozens of soldiers living in close quarters. Not that anyone actually notices anymore, they're all desensitized to it.

Robin wait for a full minute. He isn't positive she'll respond, but he isn't sure if she's shy, suspicious, or has some other feeling he doesn't know about, so he's giving her plenty of time to muster the courage or sort through her thoughts (if indeed that's what she needs). His patience is rewarded when the girl he knew was watching steps out from behind a tent. A dark mage of black hair, pale skin, sullen disposition, and (not that Robin would say so aloud, t'would be inappropriate for someone of his profession) quite the incredible body that is alternatively shown off by her outfit or hidden by her cape and arms.

"How long have you known I was following you?" The girl asks in a voice so raspy it makes Robin wonder how often she actually speaks above a whisper.

"Since Chrom recruited you." The tactician says honestly. "Being observant is integral to both my jobs, so I tend to notice what others wouldn't."

"Ah." The girl frowns. "I was hoping it wasn't as long as that…"

"Well, if I may be frank, you are abysmal at stealth." Robin murmurs. "Perhaps consider asking Gaius for lessons. A small fee of candy may be required, but he's likely much cheaper than any other tutor worth their salt."

"I don't need lessons from _him_." Tharja snaps.

"Suit yourself." Robin shrugs. "Anyways, I just have to drop off this list. Just give me a minute."

"I don't need to talk."

"Then why did you show yourself?" The therapist asks with a raised eyebrow.

"I…" Tharja purses her lips. Robin smirks. He knows she doesn't have a good response.

"So, like I said, let me drop off this list. Meet me in my tent in two minutes, alright?" Robin says with a reassuring smile. He doesn't wait for an answer; figuring Tharja needs a moment to decide anyways. He finds the quartermaster gathering water (just one of the usual chores everyone in the camp takes turns doing) and hands him the list. The tactician then takes a leisurely stroll back to his tent, giving Tharja plenty of time if she needs it.

"Took you long enough." The dark mage growls when Robin pushes aside the flap and steps inside.

"My pardon, it took a moment to find Emmet." Robin soothes. He gestures to the one chair in his room. "I'll stand if you prefer to sit."

Tharja sneers, but sits nonetheless. Robin pulls his notebook out of his coat along with a quill.

"So, what's this all about?" The tactician asks conversationally. "I don't presume you were following me around due to any sort of awe or attraction, so what gives?"

Tharja purses her lips. "You're dangerous."

Robin blinks in surprise. Out of all possible reasons, _that_ was not what he was expecting. "Really now? How so?"

The dark mage eyes him cautiously. "You're not aware of it, are you?"

"Of what are we speaking?"

"Your aura. You _reek_ of dark magic, and have since I got here." Tharja says bluntly. "Yet you're not a dark mage, and I can't detect a curse or hex on you. Natural ability for dark magic only leaves so strong a signature; you have the aura of a trained sorcerer, and one so powerful only the likes of Henry match it, and yet you don't use dark magic whatsoever."

"I mean, I _can_." Robin offers. "I have used a dark tome before, just as an experiment, but anything more complicated than Flux is beyond me at the moment."

"That's my point. Amnesiac or no, your aura suggests you should be skilled in the highest levels of dark magic." Tharja is now glowering. "But you're not. You aren't a sorcerer, and you aren't cursed or hexed, and that leaves only a few options, all of which are concerning."

"And what are these possibilities?"

"The first is that you've either run into, or are the victim of some powerful dark creature. A nightwalker perhaps, or a nightmare fiend. The second possibility is that you are a powerful dark creature or undead in disguise. Like a lich, a devourer, a bodak, a pact demon, or something similar."

"Anything else?"

"One more possibility." Tharja whispers with narrowed eyes. "You're a Fell blood. Not just any Fell blood, but the vessel, he who the fell bloodline has been trying to engineer for centuries." Her eyes meet his, holding an intensity that reveals her as a woman assessing a possible threat.

"A fell blood you say? How would we know?"

"You'll have a mark." She says simply. "The mark of Grima somewhere on your body."

"Ah." Robin swallows. Hesitantly he puts down his book and quill and peels off his right glove to show her the back of that hand. "Like this, perhaps?"

"Exactly like that." Tharja says in a low voice. "That's… not good. This is the _worst_ outcome possible. At least, potentially."

"Oh." Robin murmurs. "Oh… okay… what do we do?"

"I don't know." The dark mage admits. "If you were a monster or something, it would be a simple matter to just get rid of you. If you were a lich, I'd just have to make sure you're not hostile. As the vessel though… I don't know. I could kill you, but I don't know how much that would accomplish. Strictly speaking you're the herald of the end times, and while you are the _ideal_ vessel for Grima, you aren't the only one who could be used. Validar would be plenty suitable."

"So my existence just means Grima is coming, regardless of whether I live or not?"

"Exactly." Tharja nod seriously.

"There's not much we can do on our own." The girl mutters. "We can prepare ourselves, try and encourage others to prepare, but in the end… it may not be enough. After all, the future children are evidence we failed once before."

Robin sags a bit. That's not the most reassuring, but she has a point. How would they fight a god-like being anyways?

"However…" Tharja says slowly. "Taking out grimleal could maybe do something. Grima relies on his followers to revive him. So if you take out grimleal, there's fewer people who can try and revive him."

Robin frowns. "We can't go around killing anyone who happens to be grimleal. That would make us just as bad as Chrom's father."

"They're trying to end the world." Tharja growls.

"That doesn't mean we can kill them arbitrarily." Robin scolds.

The girl presses her lips together in disapproval. "So we're just going to let them end the world?"

"It really looks like a lose-lose situation…" Robin frowns. "Those can't be the only options… give me a few days to think on it. I'm a tactician, and I'll be damned if I can't come up with a plan for this."

"If you say so…"

This wasn't what Robin was expecting. He was expecting this to be another impromptu therapy session. Not the reveal of his possible involvement in the end of the world.

###

"You have a plan now?" The dark mage asks as she takes a seat around the planning table. They're in the strategy tent along with Chrom, Lucina, Laurent, Flavia, and Basilio. "And what's with everyone else?"

"Because this concerns everyone if what you say is true." Robin says seriously. "And besides, the grimleal are a thorn in everyone's side, so everyone should be involved with this."

"Alright…" Tharja grumbles.

"So, what's this all about boy?" Basilio grunts. "Grimleal ya said? Some death plot."

"Well, strictly speaking their 'death plot' has been going on for millennia…" Robin coughs. He glances at Tharja to make sure he's right, and the girl nods. "Either way, the mark on my hand _potentially_ signals the end of the world, and it would be the grimleal who would bring it about."

"So, remind me why we aren't just killing them all?" Flavia asks dryly.

"Because then we'll end up like my father." Chrom says grimly. "Genocidal fanatics. Besides, not all grimleal are bad. To some it really just is a religion, not a cult."

"But we still have to worry about them trying to end the world with an apocalyptic ritual." Lucina reminds everyone. She shares a look with Laurent. "We can attest to their success."

"Of course." Robin nods. "So, if we can't kill them all, but we can't let them be, we need a roundabout way of stopping them. Lucina, Laurent, Tharja, do any of you know what _exactly_ the summoning ritual requires?"

Laurent speaks up. "Many, _many_ lives. Approximately half of Plegia's population was wiped out to fuel Grima's revival. Beyond that, they also need a source of great power, as well as many competent sorcerers. In our timeline, the source of great power was the completed fire emblem."

"But it doesn't _have_ to be the fire emblem." Lucina emphasizes. "A large collection of mana crystals or mana gems would work just as well. Several ancient magic tomes could be used to fuel the ritual as well, but as you might suspect those can be quite a hassle to come by."

"More so than the completed fire emblem?" Chrom asks.

"If you have an easy way to get it, yes." Laurent affirms. "After all, we don't know where many ancient tomes are, they've been gone for thousands of years. The gems of the fire emblem, however, are presumably in the possession of several people. It's far easier to steal those gems than hunt tomes that have been missing for centuries."

"And need I remind you that the Shepherds assembled the gems. Validar only needed to steal the _completed_ emblem, not each individual piece." Lucina grimaces.

"There we go." Robin says. "So, if we can obstruct _one_ of those requirements, we can stop Grima's revival."

"And how do we do that?" Flavia asks dryly. " _Without_ killing all the grimleal in our path?"

"Simple." Robin hums. "We either get rid of the easy major power source…" He indicated the fire emblem at Chrom's side. "Or we assassinate powerful grimleal sorcerers."

"Both of those sound like temporary solutions…" Chrom mutters.

"They are." Robin admits. "Chrom, we have no way to permanently be rid of Grima. All we can do is keep the threat level down so long as I'm alive. After my lifetime, there shouldn't be the threat of Grima's revival until the next vessel is born, which might be a while."

"I don't like either of those options." Basilio says bluntly. "We either get rid of a powerful asset, or we maybe cause another war?"

"If you have a better idea, I'm all ears." Robin says patiently. "I don't want to do either of those things either. However, reducing the number of powerful artifacts in the world _would_ at least give us progress towards a long-term solution. The fewer powerful things in the world, the fewer the grimleal can potentially use."

"And the less we can use to fight them." Chrom interjects.

"Also true. There's no real good option." Robin shrugs.

"I, for one, suggest the assassinations." Laurent offers. "We cannot trust the grimleal will not simply happen upon another major power source. It will be much safer to simply kill off those who make the ritual possible."

Lucina's lips purse in disapproval, but she doesn't argue. She honestly doesn't have a better idea. As long as it saves the world, she isn't going to say no. Sacrifices have to be made.

"Perhaps we can burn a few books?" Flavia suggests. "Kill the sorcerers, and eliminate their knowledge so it's harder for future generations to learn the ritual needed?"

Robin nods, despite the grimace on his face. He almost feels like a _villain_ with this plot. Assassinations, burning books, intentionally suppressing specific knowledge… all to save the world.

Do the ends justify the means here? Robin doesn't know. He thinks so, but is this really his call? Who else is going to make this call though? It's not as brutal as Chrom's father at least.

The council ends in an agreement, albeit a distasteful one. Assassinate the powerful grimleal, burn their knowledge, and maybe push Naga's religion to try an supplant the grimleal. Everyone leaves feeling dissatisfied and with a bit heavier of a conscience.

###

"Tea? Water? Juice?" Robin asks.

"Water." Severa sighs.

Robin places a glass of water in front of her, and pours himself some apple juice. "So, what's this about? You don't strike me as the type to drop in and chat… well, not with someone random like me at least."

"Rude much?" She huffs.

"Am I wrong?"

"No…"

"So, what's this about then?"

"Well, uh…" Severa fidgets. "I talked to Mom."

"Hmm?" Robin raises an eyebrow. "About what?"

"A-About how she's a bad mom!" Severa huffs. "Gods, did you already forget our last talk?"

"Just thought I'd be sure." Robin replies calmly. "And how'd it go?"

"It was… okay." She mutters. "Well, the talk was good, but we've both been slow at the changes we need to get what we want. Mom still takes too much work onto herself, I'm still too quick to anger and too harsh, but we're making progress I think."

"That's good!" Robin smiles. "I'm glad to hear it."

"There's another thing though." Severa says. She has a bit of an impish grin on her face this time.

"Hmm?"

"Well, Mom mentioned she talked to you before." Severa says. She's full-on grinning now. "And she wants to again."

"I see. Why are _you_ telling me this instead of her?"

"Well, I asked why she didn't just go talk to you, and rather than giving an answer she just threw out some excuse about having to leave. So…" Severa leans forwards, resting her elbows on the table and her face in her hands. "I smell a story. What happened?"

"Can't tell you." Robin says smoothly. "It's confidential. I would be a poor professional otherwise."

"Come on." Severa weedles. "She never made an appointment!"

"Even so, I refuse to divulge someone's emotions or secrets. It is not my place." Robin says firmly.

There's also the matter of the situation in question being when Cordelia got completely wasted, and that's not something Robin feels like he should be revealing to the woman's daughter.

"Killjoy." Severa grumbles. "Come on…"

"Sorry Severa, but how would you feel if I casually started revealing your private thoughts to someone?" Robin asks in a scolding tone.

"Fine." Severa huffs, and leans back in her seat. "Have it your way."

Robin smiles and raises his glass of juice. "And so I will. Was there anything else you wanted?"

"Nah, just saying thanks." She sighs. "And seeing if you'll prod Mom into another talk, seeing as she's too embarrassed to do so herself."

"I'll try and talk with her." Robin chuckles. "Thanks for dropping by though. I'm always glad to hear my advice has proven somewhat useful."

* * *

 **Gonna end here. I do realize it's a bit of an odd spot, but this quirk ended up being incredibly difficult to work with (which I didn't expect. I thought this would be rather easy). The part with Tharja and discussion of the grimleal threat came on a whim, and I'll admit it seems a bit out of place. The idea was just based on the thought that: "hey, Robin would totally notice Tharja sneaking around and try to offer therapy", and then it just logically went to using my headcanon for Tharja (which is that her stalking tendency is not out of a strange attraction like she'd have Robin believe, but an attempt to monitor someone she can sense is possibly extremely dangerous) and a talk about the Grimleal.**

* * *

 **bauers374** **:** Well it's not. Sorry to disappoint.

I'm not sure it was, but indeed it would cross that off.

Fourth wall breaking is something I don't want to do because it negates the suspension of disbelief and makes it impossible to take the story seriously in any capacity. I did it with the first chapter, yes, mostly because I had no clear idea of what I was doing at the time.

 **Firehedgehog** **:** :D

 **RoastedButter** **:** I would if it didn't so often get in the way of the actual quirks so often. I learned my lesson with Replicate Robin, so I generally keep this personality of Robin limited because it has the potential to overshadow the quirk entirely.

 **Muda** **:** Well, considering Hoshido is in another universe/world, no, not really. That's why I chose Chon'sin, because it's the most eastern of all the countries in Awakening.

 **Guest** **:** Harrier as in skirmisher?

 **Vanderspiegel** **:** Throwing all those suggestions under unlikely. Fairy is already done by the way. Chapter 48.

 **Fantasy Paradise** **:** Interesting one, if difficult. I'll put it on the list.

 **Aerich1106** **:** I'll put that down under minor. It's a very combat-focused quirk, which makes it a bit problematic for someone who sucks at writing combat like me.

 **Cyberchao X** **:** :D

 **Blablagogo :** That would ruin the theme of the collection, so at the very least it can't be in _The Robin Variable_. I'll put it down for _Varied Awakenings_.


	60. Amazon Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **Minor: Dark Flier, Immortal, Boxer (Pugilist), Exploitive, Swordmaster, Angry Cinnamon Roll, Tripping, Perpetual Cheer, Chef, Blacksmith, Pegasus Knight, Teacher, Librarian, Masochist, Literal-Minded, Authoritative, Wyvern Rider, Phobia, Thicc, Tsundere, Damsel in Distress, Gangrel's Child, Wyvern Rider, Child, Communist, Bomber, Bear Cavalry, Flying, ADHD, Super Strength, Patriotic, Martial Artist, Scottish, Sassy, One Liner, Seamstress, Shephard, Speedy, Cool, Shy, Bookworm, Mercenary, Sweet, Kung Fu, Buff, Lazy, Wingless Flight, Blunt, Paranoid.**

 **Standard: Elemental, Deaf, Foreign, Future sight, Nurse/Medic, Valmese Tactician, Medusa, Genderfluid, Gift from Validar + evil to good, Mimic, Emotionless, Crippling Overspecialization (Idiot Savant), Coward, ESP, POW, PTSD, Magician, Mute, Handicapped, Secret Helper, Crazy, Morpher, Dreamwalker, Twins, Regenerating, Animal Whisperer, Naga/Tiki Assistant, Deadly Touch, Mind Reader, Doppelganger, Arachne, D &D magic, Umbramancer, Horror Monster, Dominatrix, Songstress, Kinky, Matchmaker, Androphobic, Illusionist, Attraction Aura, Ring Maker, Therapist, Teleporting, Crippled, Puppet, Broken, Hallucination, Depressed, Slave, Love Curse, Detective, Geokinetic, Trauma.**

 **Unlikely: Chrom's child, Minotaur, Paladin, Werewolf, Assassin, Future Soldier, Bounty Hunter, Weather control, Kleptomaniac, Druid, Steampunk, Shadow Familiar, Magic Augmentation, Lucky, Exile, Piper (Charmer), Gladiator, Witch Doctor, Centaur, Drunk, Demon, Punk, Harpy, Revenant, Luck Manipulation, Demon Summoner, Megalomaniac, Kitsune, King of Plegia, Mood Ring, Reverse Aging, Hammerspace, Prostitute, Demon Hunter, Cyborg, Maid/Servant/Butler, Deadlord, Rebellion, Einherjar, Trap, Yandere, Living Weapon, Size Shifter, Queen of Plegia, Gluttonous, Stretchy, Alchemist, Protoss, Spirit Manipulation, Invisible, Plegian Honor Guard, Mecha, Kryptonian, Creator, Orc, Memory Stealing Respawn, Racer, Khan, Misfortune, Vampire Hunter, Geokinetic, Imaginary Actualization, Death, Resurrection, Force, Merchant, Background Music, Variable, Civilian, Natural Disaster, Mental Noise Projection, Hidden OP, Summoner, Cyclops, Teleporter, Cryokinetic, Genie, Judge, Intangibility, Fortune Teller, Future Vision, Serial Killer, Pervert, Magic Fixit, Drakengard Restoration, Ying-Yang, Childhood Friend, Cyberpunk, Chrom's Mother, Obsessed, Berserker, Phase Shift, Gravity Manipulation, Hallucinating, Bladesoul, Zombie, Double Entendre, Shared Body/Two Souls, Cannibal, Singer, Violent, Insane, Waterbender, Casanova, Cupid, Undertaker, Master Thief, Guard, Faceless, Shadow, Age Control, Cradle Snatcher, Emo, Singer, Nun, Courier, Haunted Knight Armor, Egyptian, Sentient Object, Shit Lord, Court Wizard, Naga's sibling, Mad Queen, Artist, Predator, Cheshire Cat, Radio Host, Chimera, Wendigo, Witch, Symbiote, Hivemind, Hammerspace, Anna, Mother Nature, Psychopath, Stripper, Painting, Grima Parts, Knightmare, Super, Swimsuit, Bunny Outfit, One Punch, Idol, Chef, Rampage, Housewife, Determination, Vessel of Naga, Instant Expert, Time Travel, Hermit, Alternate Dimension 'Twin', Legendary, Resistance, Memory Regain, Umbra Witch, Naga, Aquatic, Hexblade Warlock, Dragon, Demon of Choice, Demon of Temptation, Affliction, Good Samaritan, Gallant, Rosannite Tactician, Leeroy, Dungeon, Apparition, Unwilling, Wildlife Commander, Consistent Kidnapee.**

 **Other: Second Generation replacement, Dimensional Walker, Cycle, Fates.**

 **Amazon Robin, suggested by Darklight of the 0 Arcana. Kinda? Sorta? Uh… you'll see. This is a** _ **weird**_ **chapter, not so much in terms of the quirk; just how I actually wrote it.**

* * *

She wakes up to the feel of a wet cloth on her forehead. She feels hot, her skin is itchy and erupts in pain if she so much as moves. She doesn't dare open her eyes to see her condition, and instead prays that she returns to sleep soon.

The thought that she has no idea where she is occurs to her a moment later, which is followed by a slew of other thoughts. Who is she? What's her name? How did she get here? Why is a cloth on her head?

"I know you're awake, girl." A gruff, female voice says. "You're lucky. Most people don't take naps in the desert and survive."

"I took a nap in the desert?" The girl mumbles. Even speaking hurts. Her throat feels dry, like someone stuck sand down it to suck out all the moisture… it even _feels_ like there's sand in it. "Bad place to nap. Why would I do that…?"

"Not much for jokes I see." The woman chuckles. "You had a heat stroke kid."

"...oh." That explains a lot.

"So, what are you doing so far out from civilization?" The woman asks. "I have a few guesses. There are two main reasons people tend to come out here, but I want to hear what you have to say."

"I don't know." She rasps.

"Pardon?"

"I don't know." She repeats. "I don't know why I'm here, I don't know where 'here' is, I don't know how I got here, I don't know who you are, and I don't know who _I_ am."

"Ah." There's a pause. The cloth is removed from the girl's head, much to her distress, but it's put back on a moment later. The woman was just soaking it again. "Well, that complicates things… or maybe it simplifies things."

"How?"

"Well, if you have no memory, there's only two real options, right? You either try an' figure out your past, or you start a new life." The woman says.

Robin doesn't know what she's supposed to do. She isn't prepared for such a major decision to be dropped in her lap less than five minutes after waking up, and therefore less than five minutes of _memory_.

The woman seems to pick up on this. "You don't have to think about it now. Rest. You're probably in pain."

"I itch, _badly_."

"Yeah, that's the sunburn. It's what you get for napping in the desert."

"So I _did_ -?"

"No." The woman sighs. "No you didn't."

"Oh."

There's quiet for a moment. The girl decides to try opening her eyes, ache be damned. It's itchy, her eyes feel dry, and her vision is blurry. The blurriness clears up in a minute though, letting the girl see her immediate surroundings and the person talking to her.

The woman is tall, has dark chocolate skin, is _heavily_ muscled, and has a number of small scars, along with a larger one, a claw mark the girl thinks, visible on her neck. She's clearly a warrior just from that evidence alone, and the leather armor, steel axe, throwing axe, and iron sword resting nearby only make that even more obvious.

The girl also notices (what she presumes to be) her own clothes resting next to her. A heavy black cloak (that _has_ to be impractical for travelling in the desert) with gold embroidery, heavy black boots, brown gloves, and a white undershirt and pants. The only weapons she seemed to have is a pair of daggers that rest on top of the clothes. They're basic, unremarkable.

The room is wood, and rather simple. There looks to be hunting trophies up on the walls: a lion, several things that look like different variants of canine (she recognizes a few, like the hyena and snap hound skulls).

"My name is Gladia." The woman offers when the girl returns her eyes to her host. "I suppose you don't remember yours?"

Robin shakes her head, and instantly regrets it. The itchiness and pain flares up, and she quickly goes still.

"Well then…" Gladia gazes around, as if looking for inspiration. She looks out the window, and her eyes alight on something the girl can't see. "Robin. How about that? Robin Tealeaf."

"Tealeaf?"

"A name we give to those without a family name, orphans usually." Gladia says. "You are, of course, free to choose your own last name. Most people tend to make their own when they find their calling… although most keep it as a middle name, just out of remembrance."

"I accept then." Robin says. "Robin Tealeaf… I sound like the main character of a fantasy story."

"Your life so far sounds like one too." Gladia laughs. "An amnesiac, clad in a dark cloak, who arrives under the burning Plegian sun to the border of amazonian territory, only to be saved by their leader."

Robin blinks slowly. "You're…?"

"People call me the Chief." Gladia grins. "Welcome to Polemis, home of the Amazons."

###

Robin quickly learns Polemis refers to both the region and the actual city she's in. This is because most people here just call it "the city" and "our territory".

Also, all the people she's seen so far are women. Almost all of them are very buff warrior-like women, but of varying ethnicities, and Robin sees that most of them have different weapons… well, all of them have a different _melee_ weapon, but almost all of them carry a bow as well.

Robin doesn't see too much of the city in the first week. She's busy dealing with itch, the pain, and the exhaustion from her stroke and sunburn. She also apparently got sick, so she's also having trouble keeping food down, which is bad.

Gladia said it was "just great", which Robin thought was very rude. She also said that "sarcasm isn't your thing, is it?", which Robin disagrees with. She _does_ understand sarcasm! It's just lying with a different name.

Gladia obviously has things to do, so Robin is left mostly to herself to rest with the occasional check-in from a doctor.

When she can actually _walk_ without itching and pain (although she still aches, but that's manageable) she- well, she first finds a mirror. Robin didn't know she was a tall, slightly muscled woman herself. Gladia is just that much taller and _more_ muscled by comparison, so Robin didn't really realize it until seeing herself. Also, she apparently has white hair, is pale like the moon, and has red eyes. She looks like she's already half-dead.

It's kinda cool in Robin's opinion (if she can be so egotistical as to say that about herself). She looks like a ghost! How many people can say they look like a ghost!?

Well, actually, she knows it's one in ten-thousand, but that's besides the point.

Anyways. After Robin can walk without feeling the need to itch herself, Gladia _personally_ gives her a tour of the city, and proudly explains anything Robin asks about as if she built it herself.

The short version of the story of the Amazons are Polemis is that they are (as Robin suspected) a society of women who live in the north-west reaches of Plegia. To the north of this city is Plegia's relatively small forested areas and the Feroxi border, to the south is the desert, to the west is the ocean, and to the east is a small (again, relatively) savannah.

As Robin also suspected, most people here are warriors, or at the very least have combat training. Their city looking as small as it is, bandits tend to assume it's an easy target.

"And they're always wrong." Gladia brags. "Even the maids an' artists here can sling an arrow at your face or slide a knife in yer stomach."

Apparently the population isn't too large. Several hundred women, maybe a thousand at most. About half occupy this city, and the other half the surrounding areas in small farming towns (although, by Gladia's own admission, not like the farming towns one would find elsewhere. The farms are very communal rather than being family farms, and most of the "farmers" participate in hunts. It's also standard practice for people to rotate from life in the farming towns to life in the city, spending about half a year in each so everyone shares the responsibility and work, but also shares in the benefits and city life afforded by the support of the towns. It's a bit more nuanced than that, but such an explanation suffices for a basic understanding).

"It's a system that can only work because few of us were born here. Almost every single person you see here _chose_ to be here, so they willingly partake in the system." Gladia says proudly. "What other society can boast that? Other societies would get revolts if they tried this sort of equality!"

Robin has to admit it's rather impressive. "So you…?"

"Yep, even me." Gladia grins. "Admittedly I'm a bit of a special case, I do have to run this society after all, so I need a certain amount of time a day for those matters, but I _do_ farm."

The week Robin spent recovering also gave her plenty of time to think about her amnesia situation. She had a life presumably, but she was also randomly face-down in a desert. She was either alone, or abandoned. Her cloak also apparently has cult symbols on it, and she doesn't want to be part of a cult…

So, when the question is finally asked of what she wants to do, Robin chooses to stay.

###

Robin pulls back her bow. The black-tipped arrow, made from carefully sharpened rock, slightly reflects the sunlight, making the arrow gleam a bit in the midday sun. She takes a long, deep breath, aims carefully, and lets the arrow fly.

The bow snaps audibly, but the arrow flies silently. It arcs high into the air, becoming almost invisible against the glare of the sun for a moment, before dropping from the sky and sticking directly into Robin's target.

The unassuming mound of sand Robin shot twitches violently. The sand is dislodged as the creature thrashes, revealing a long snout, like a cross between a crocodile and dog, with a number of large teeth. That's all Robin sees before the creature stops moving, aside from the occasional muscle spasm.

"A perfect shot!" Gladia congratulates, slapping Robin's back. "Took ya long enough to learn!"

"I never used a bow before six months ago!" Robin huffs in return. " _You_ try becoming a pro at something in that amount of time with no prior experience!"

"I have." She says cheekily. "Throwing hand axes, learned in months."

Robin just huffs and starts walking over to her kill. She reaches into the sand, grabbing the creature by the scruff of its neck, and hauling the dead snap hound out from the sand.

She remembers when she first saw a snap hound. It had burst out from the sand, striking like a crocodile and slamming it's long mouth down around the unfortunate small bird that had hopped too close. It was a lightning-fast kill. The way it's long ears fold over its eyes to block sand while burrowing had fascinated her, as did it's long and thin bunchings of fur that give it a measure of tremorsense while under the sand. It's a fascinating creature… and also a nice trophy. The teeth can make for some nice jewelry, and the meat is… well it's meat. It's edible. Food is always good.

"Well, you can properly call yerself an Amazon now that you can actually shoot a bow." Gladia chuckles. "Good job in spotting the snap hound too. That's not easily done."

Robin smiles, feeling a measure of pride in herself. She went from a no-one to a pretty decent hunter in half a year. There's still the whole 'farming' thing she's going to have to learn too, but she at least has some established skills. She learned bows and axes from Gladia, learned she has some latent skill for tactics from playing strategy games (possibly a holdover from her old life), and also (on her own time) learned to throw and fight with her daggers.

"Maybe you'd like to join one of our big hunts next time they come around?" Gladia asks, wearing a big grin of her own. "Now that you're all prepared?"

"How can I say no?" Robin agrees eagerly. "I can't wait…"

"That's the spirit!"

###

Robin wasn't sure what to expect when it became her turn to rotate to farm life. She knows nothing about it, and has no latent knowledge to help out this time.

It starts out as she expects. One of the older women shows her the basics of taking care of animals and fields. Robin finds her combat training under Gladia has actually ill prepared her for farm life. She finds herself still exhausted from heat and from the use of muscles not really related to swinging an axe. For example, she has to bend over a lot to lift and carry things, which does a number on her back.

That's all well and good, but Robin also notices something that seems… off. There's things that don't add up, both about the farming and about some other aspects of Amazon economy.

For one, the place Robin is working farms rice. That's not too unusual in itself. They have a river of fresh water flowing through the village which they reroute to fill and drain the rice fields in a very specific series of timings, bla bla bla, that's all _fine_.

What Robin finds curious is that no one really tells her about how rice is _harvested_. From what she knows, almost everyone but a few "overseers" leaves the village during the week leading up to, and the week after, harvesting time.

The other thing that's weird about Amazon economy is the metal and stone. Robin has heard no mention of mines. Yes, everyone takes shifts in the farms, but from what she knows there's no such rotation for mining.

So, there's some necessary activities that take place, but (from what Robin is aware) the Amazons don't take part in them. That begs the question though: if they don't trade for stone and metal, and there's no way another society is going to farm the rice for them, then how's it getting done?

Normally she wouldn't worry, but it doesn't escape her how no one is willing to explain these things. That's gnawing at the back of Robin's head, whispering that there's a secret afoot. Secrets are dangerous; societies guard their greatest strengths to keep others from using or discovering it, but they also hide their weaknesses. Things that the society may not agree with, but are very useful, are kept under wraps.

So, that begs the question, is this a strength or is this a weakness being hidden?

Robin also knows, as a relatively new citizen, she isn't going to be allowed to know these sorts of secrets, but it's exactly these sorts of things that are going to shape her opinion of Polemis.

Robin makes sure to arrange so that she has a full day off (not too hard, she just agrees to do more work the next day), and as soon as that morning hits she borrows a horse (also not too hard. A few silver pieces smooth it along) and rides back the way they all came.

At first when she approaches Robin thinks it's mist, or maybe ash that's been blown up into the air. As she gets closer to the village, however, she realizes it's neither of those.

Mosquitoes. A swarm so dense, you can see it from a few kilometers away. It blankets the _entire_ town. Robin is glad she wore her cloak despite the heavy sun, because otherwise she'd be riddled with bites.

The horse has no such shielding, so Robin ties it off to a tree a few kilometers away from the village in a patch of grass so it can graze. She walks the rest of the way on foot.

Her main regret is that she doesn't have a scarf. The mosquitos quickly become maddening as Robin gets closer, and she spends just as much time swatting them off her face as she does actually deciding where to go.

She makes her way over to the rice fields while being sure to stay in the treeline. Stealth isn't her best attribute, but honestly she doubts anyone is going to notice her. They'll be too focused on the damn mosquitoes…

From a distance, Robin can see people working in the fields. That's not surprising. _Someone_ has to harvest this stuff. Maybe there's a special group of people who have volunteered for this task? Maybe these are prisoners, people who've broken the law?

"No…" Robin mutters to herself as she squints at the workers. There's something off about them. Something different. They're… "men?"

It's unmistakable. As Robin sneaks ever closer, it's clear that the people working the field are all male. Most of them are dressed in torn clothes, really just rags. The mosquitoes swarm all over them as they harvest the rice, and the sun burns down on their exposed forms. There are a few women, amazons, who stalk down the sides of the rice fields. They don't seem affected by the mosquitoes, and Robin notes a small locket with a red gem around each of their necks.

One of the men nearby staggers, and then falls to the ground. Immediately one of the women, an overseer Robin assumes, stomps over and yells at him. There's a pause, no response, and then she turns on two other works and shouts something at them. The two bend down, pick up the fallen man, carry him over to the edge of the field, and dump him in the forest unceremoniously.

Robin waits for a minute, then slowly walks over to the fallen man. He's still breathing, but it's raspy and rattling. His body is a mess of mosquito bites, horrible sunburns, and what look like scars on his back.

She doesn't waste time. Robin pulls the concoction from her belt and forces him to drink. She then throws him over her shoulder and carries him away from the field. Once they're far enough away that the mosquitoes aren't a problem, she sets him down. He's a skeletal, orange-haired man. Any real distinguishing figures are marred by the bites all over his body.

Robin needs information, and this man (assuming he survives), can give it to him. All she has to do is wait for the concoction to take effect.

There's a few things she can infer on her own though. Polemis's secret is apparently slave labour. Robin doesn't know where those men came from, or how long they've lived in captivity. Are they criminals? The prize of raids? Or just any man unfortunate enough to wander into amazon territory?

This man could have her answers. She just needs to wait…

###

"Uhh…"

Well, that's not the most reassuring first thing to hear out of the rescued man. "Hello."

"Hi?" The man rasps. "Sorry, fell…"

"I'm not an overseer."

"No…?" The man mumbles. He seems delirious. "Water…?"

Robin pulls out her waterskin and passes it to him. He greedily guzzles it all down, and some spills down his chin from the way his hands shake.

"What's your name?" Robin asks softly.

"I'm…" The man coughs, choking on a mouthful of water for a moment. "The name's Gaius. You?"

"Robin." She replies simply. "I have questions."

"Sure. Do… do you also have food?"

Robin takes out her lunch from her pack, and hands it to him.

"Just like that huh?" Gaius smiles weakly, but genuinely. "Never thought… I'd find someone who'd just _give_ me something."

"Pardon?"

"I'm… I _was…_ a thief." Gaius croaks. "Stole for a living, because no one… wanted to hire a scrawny street rat."

"And you ended up here, how?"

"Bad luck." The man admits. "Bad choice. Though… this small, weird society on the fringe of Plegia… would be an easy target. It wasn't."

"An all the other men? Are they similar to you?"

"Some." Gaius says though a mouthful of food. "Others, their only crime was- ah- walkin' a bit too far out into the desert and crossing an invisible line, or being in a village at the wrong time. You amazons and Plegia are at war, yeah? Some of the guys with me are prisoners of war…"

"I see." Robin says. Her face is carefully neutral. She can't take his words at face value, but at the same time there's clearly something terrible going on here. She doesn't care what the reason is: forcing people to kill themselves working in fields is not something she'll condone. It's not like they couldn't just replace these rice fields with something else after all. Fertile farmland isn't limited to _one_ type of crop, or the word 'vegetables' would be limited to a single plant.

"So, what's your deal?" Gaius asks. "Why are you takin' pity on old Gaius?"

"Curiosity." Robin says bluntly. "And you do not look old. You look quite young by my estimation."

There's a long pause, and Gaius blinks at Robin in surprise. "You… sarcasm isn't your thing, is it?"

"Why does everyone keep asking me that?" The girl grumbles.

###

Robin and Giaus aren't fools. A few dozen half-dead men with sharp sticks against a few hundred trained warrior women isn't odds they can take. They won't be freeing everyone by fighting, it's going to be by stealth.

Thank Naga Gaius actually knows how to sneak, because Robin isn't so great at it without a giant mosquito cloud to distract everyone. Robin's purpose is just to organize transportation for everyone to get out. That involves obtaining a cart, horses, food, water, and blankets, and doing it all within the week without anyone becoming suspicious.

So, Robin does something sneaky. She steals the food and water (not as hard as it sounds. She walks with the stuff out in the open, and as long as she behaves like she supposed to be doing this no one bats an eyelash) and stores it in the woods outside her village. The cart she obtains by brute-forcing the problem. In other words, she just _buys_ one off someone. It costs most of her money, but that's fine.

The last problem is the horses. There's no way she can afford those, so she'll have to steal them. However, with her current duties there's no reason she should come in contact with horses, so people will certainly notice if she steals them.

The best way for that to work is to steal them the night of the escape. She'll have to get the horses out of their stables, move them to the place in the woods, hook them up to the cart, and get them over to the meeting point before sunrise.

It's not going to be easy to travel in the dark, the horses are going to be tired, and she has to hope Gaius successfully managed to free his fellow slaves with just the daggers she gave him.

Robin is also aware she might be condemning some of the overseers to death. Gaius might have to kill some of them to get everyone out. The thought sits ill with her, but there isn't enough time to prepare another way out. The longer they wait the more men will die from exhaustion, heat, or mosquitoes. The overseers are complicit in the ongoing slavery of these men though…

" _Don't think about it anymore. You'll just torture yourself. There's no perfect solution._ " Robin scolds herself. She is currently in the process of sneaking four farm horses out of the village. It's… not nearly as hard as she thought it would be. The horses are fairly quiet, and everyone is fast asleep. " _Please let Gaius have everyone there when I arrive. We need to make good time, because there's no way people aren't going to come after us."_

###

The bow feels heavy in Robin's hands as she lowers it. Her mouth is dry, seeing her victim fall off their horse and onto the desert sand.

Her bow was meant for hunting. She's killed snap hounds with it, and various birds, and even some foxes that bothered the chickens. She's never had to turn it against a person… much less a fellow amazon.

Well, not 'fellow' anymore. Robin refuses to call identify herself as such a thing. A people who rely on slavery… she can't condone that. Most of the amazons aren't bad people. She doubts most of them know about the slavery at all, but now that Robin _does_ know she can never dissociate the word amazon from the idea of slavery again.

"Stop looking." Gaius murmurs. He's standing next to her at the back of the cart, holding a dagger. It probably wouldn't do them any good, the amazons have bows after all, but Robin appreciates his willingness to join her in a fight if needed. "It only makes it worse."

"You've…?" Robin can't finish the sentence.

Gaius nods, and doesn't elaborate. "Big choices always require sacrifices. Just a fact of life, yeah? You plan as much as you can, but there's always a dice roll involved. That lady stumbling across us… just a bad roll. For her, and for us."

Robin nods. It doesn't make her feel much better though. She forces herself to turn away, and instead look at all the men crammed into this cart, and the tired horses dragging them all across the sands. Most of them are looking at her, having watched her shoot down their pursuer.

" _These people need my help."_ She reminds herself. She keeps a calm look on her face so as to not panic those she's protecting, though it's not at all a reflection of what she's feeling. " _This was never going to be a clean escape. We didn't have enough time. The ends don't justify the means… but inaction would be worse._ "

"There was no good option." Gaius mutters, as if reading her thoughts. His hand squeezes her shoulder in reassurance. "Either you killed her, or we ended up back in the rice fields to slowly be eaten alive. If it's any consolation… you saved us by doing that."

It's small consolation, but Robin will take it.

###

"Ho! Pretty woman looking bit lost in big desert! Maybe Gregor help?" An older man with brown-orange hair greets as he wanders up to their cart. He has small girl with skimpy clothing on his shoulders who waves at Robin.

"Hi there, my name's chopped liver." Gaius greets sarcastically. The older man's face splits into a wide grin.

"Gregor mean not to hurt feelings of boy! Just distracted by _dazzling_ young lady! Understandable, no?"

"Hold on, I thought your name was Gaius." Robin says while frowning at Gaius. "What sort of name is Chopped Liver?"

Gaius lets out a sigh, and Gregor bursts out laughing. "Just… don't worry about it Robin."

"So, what pretty lady doing out in desert with little boy?" Gregor asks, ignoring the glare Gaius shoots him.

"Delivering these men back to their homes." Robin says honestly, and gestures into the cart.

Gregor look in, and blinks in surprise at seeing a few dozen pairs of eyes staring back at him. "Oh… oh… you come from Polemis, yes?"

"Yes."

"I hate those guys." The little girl huffs. "They suck. Do you know how long it takes to get arrows out of my scales?"

"These men were…?"

"Slaves." Robin says simply.

"Ah. You be needing directions perhaps?"

"Yes please." Gaius grunts. "We've just been going in one direction hoping to hit something before we starve to death."

"Gregor and Nowi will show way!" The man announces cheerfully. "Also, Gregor has ale, perhaps raise spirits a bit yes?"

The chorus of voices suddenly agreeing from inside the cart, not waiting for Gaius and Robin to reply, effectively makes that decision for them.

"Alright you drunks…" Gaius sighs, and looks to Gregor. "You had to say ale."

The man wiggles his eyebrows. "Gregor understand people very well, yes?"

"Too well."

###

Gregor and Nowi gave Robin a whole new life (which makes _two_ new lives in one year). She and Gaius joined the two in mercenary work which Robin found her skills very well suited to. Gaius was less so suited, but in the niech cases where they needed a lockpick or stealth, he was invaluable.

Robin can see _another_ life change on her horizon however, and she means that literally. There's a group of Ylissian soldiers charging across the Plegian sands at a group of Grimleal. A group of Grimleal that, mind you, are currently in the process of chasing down _Robin's_ group (specifically Nowi).

Somehow, in her gut, Robin just knows this is going to change everything about her life once more…

* * *

 **This was an incredibly** _ **weird**_ **chapter. The things that happen in it aren't too weird, it's just that it's wildly different from what I usually do, and the 'quirk' is really just a backstory idea.**

 **You have no idea how many times I wrote this chapter before settling on this. Amazon Robin was something I wanted to do for a while but** _ **nothing**_ **worked. Even if it didn't turn out as I expected it to, I'm glad I got this done.**

* * *

 **Firehedgehog** **:** That would be an interesting talk. Though getting Grima to a state where he wouldn't be able to instantly kill everyone around him might be a challenge.

 **Darkness is complete** **:** I mean… you can always go back and read whatever you missed. Machine Robin is _exactly_ what ROBIN is. Dungeon Robin is a very specific idea, but a valid one. I'll put it down.

 **TheF00L0** **:** So Teleporting Robin. Noted.

 **Fantasy Paradise** **:** Throwing that into ideas for _Varied Awakenings_. It's an idea that basically makes Robin _not_ Robin. They're effectively an OC at that point, an Isekai protagonist, because they have no grounding in the world the story takes place in.

Basically, it's so drastic an idea and incongruous with the other ideas I've done I can't put it into _The Robin Variable_. Not a _bad_ idea by any means, just not something I can put in this collection.

 **LoveGlutton** **:** I'm aware how jarring it is. The idea came out of nowhere, so I wrote it, and decided to keep it because it was interesting.

 **dnomy** **:** Pardon my bluntness but… no. I'm not sure I can work with that idea, sorry.

 **Guardian54** **:** Actually, that was never my intent. Looking back on it though, I can totally see why you think that.

 **Guest** **:** Already done. Chapter 23.

 **Vanderspiegel** **:** Sure. I'll put them all down.

 **Someth1ng** **:** That's a curious idea. Difficult, but interesting.

 **chroms6pack** **:** See Grimleal Robin (chapter 19). That's more or less just Robin without memory loss. I've implimented it a few other times (Arranged Marriage Robin and Sadistic Robin for example) where it was very much a minor detail that had to be inferred, but Robin having his memory is very much a minor quirk.

Hope that helps!

 **bauers374** **:** It was actually a mechanic in Echoes too. Mila's Turnwheel.

 **JtBlack-Hawk3198 :** Hmm… that's a very specific idea that requires a lot of rationalizing to work. I'll put it down, but that's very unlikely due to the need to explain away several contrivances involved with making that idea work.


	61. Horror Monster Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **Minor: Dark Flier, Immortal, Boxer (Pugilist), Exploitive, Swordmaster, Angry Cinnamon Roll, Tripping, Perpetual Cheer, Chef, Blacksmith, Pegasus Knight, Teacher, Librarian, Masochist, Literal-Minded, Authoritative, Wyvern Rider, Phobia, Thicc, Tsundere, Damsel in Distress, Gangrel's Child, Wyvern Rider, Child, Communist, Bomber, Bear Cavalry, Flying, ADHD, Super Strength, Patriotic, Martial Artist, Scottish, Sassy, One Liner, Seamstress, Shephard, Speedy, Cool, Shy, Bookworm, Mercenary, Sweet, Kung Fu, Buff, Lazy, Wingless Flight, Blunt, Paranoid.**

 **Standard: Elemental, Deaf, Foreign, Future sight, Nurse/Medic, Valmese Tactician, Medusa, Genderfluid, Gift from Validar + evil to good, Mimic, Emotionless, Crippling Overspecialization (Idiot Savant), Coward, ESP, POW, PTSD, Magician, Mute, Handicapped, Secret Helper, Crazy, Morpher, Dreamwalker, Twins, Regenerating, Animal Whisperer, Naga/Tiki Assistant, Deadly Touch, Mind Reader, Doppelganger, Arachne, D &D magic, Umbramancer, Dominatrix, Songstress, Kinky, Matchmaker, Androphobic, Illusionist, Attraction Aura, Ring Maker, Therapist, Teleporting, Crippled, Puppet, Broken, Hallucination, Depressed, Slave, Love Curse, Detective, Geokinetic, Trauma, Siren.**

 **Unlikely: Chrom's child, Minotaur, Paladin, Werewolf, Assassin, Future Soldier, Bounty Hunter, Weather control, Kleptomaniac, Druid, Steampunk, Shadow Familiar, Magic Augmentation, Lucky, Exile, Piper (Charmer), Gladiator, Witch Doctor, Centaur, Drunk, Demon, Punk, Harpy, Revenant, Luck Manipulation, Demon Summoner, Megalomaniac, Kitsune, King of Plegia, Mood Ring, Reverse Aging, Hammerspace, Prostitute, Demon Hunter, Cyborg, Maid/Servant/Butler, Deadlord, Rebellion, Einherjar, Trap, Yandere, Living Weapon, Size Shifter, Queen of Plegia, Gluttonous, Stretchy, Alchemist, Protoss, Spirit Manipulation, Invisible, Plegian Honor Guard, Mecha, Kryptonian, Creator, Orc, Memory Stealing Respawn, Racer, Khan, Misfortune, Vampire Hunter, Geokinetic, Imaginary Actualization, Death, Resurrection, Force, Merchant, Background Music, Variable, Civilian, Natural Disaster, Mental Noise Projection, Hidden OP, Summoner, Cyclops, Teleporter, Cryokinetic, Genie, Judge, Intangibility, Fortune Teller, Future Vision, Serial Killer, Pervert, Magic Fixit, Drakengard Restoration, Ying-Yang, Childhood Friend, Cyberpunk, Chrom's Mother, Obsessed, Berserker, Phase Shift, Gravity Manipulation, Hallucinating, Bladesoul, Zombie, Double Entendre, Shared Body/Two Souls, Cannibal, Singer, Violent, Insane, Waterbender, Casanova, Cupid, Undertaker, Master Thief, Guard, Faceless, Shadow, Age Control, Cradle Snatcher, Emo, Singer, Nun, Courier, Haunted Knight Armor, Egyptian, Sentient Object, Shit Lord, Court Wizard, Naga's sibling, Mad Queen, Artist, Predator, Cheshire Cat, Radio Host, Chimera, Wendigo, Witch, Symbiote, Hivemind, Hammerspace, Anna, Mother Nature, Psychopath, Stripper, Painting, Grima Parts, Knightmare, Super, Swimsuit, Bunny Outfit, One Punch, Idol, Chef, Rampage, Housewife, Determination, Vessel of Naga, Instant Expert, Time Travel, Hermit, Alternate Dimension 'Twin', Legendary, Resistance, Memory Regain, Umbra Witch, Naga, Aquatic, Hexblade Warlock, Dragon, Demon of Choice, Demon of Temptation, Affliction, Good Samaritan, Gallant, Rosannite Tactician, Leeroy, Dungeon, Apparition, Unwilling, Wildlife Commander, Consistent Kidnapee, Grenadier, Magic Creature, Alternating Mind Control, Sothis in the Mind, Exalt.**

 **Other: Second Generation replacement, Dimensional Walker, Cycle, Fates.**

 **Hmm… I've tried several things, and none of them are working. This is starting to get frustrating. I could get the ideas to work if they weren't** _ **Robin**_ **, but since they are it presents a particular difficulty.**

 **Horror Monster Robin, suggested by Guest. The fourth or fifth time I've tried this. Hope it works this time.**

* * *

There's something stalking the Ylisse-Plegia border, preying on livestock and bandits. Reports vary on what it is exactly. It mostly strikes at night, making it hard to see. Some say it flies, buzzing like some sort of bug, and others say it scuttles around on many legs. Others still report seeing a face and hearing a voice, but the only description of the face is "white" and no one agrees on what the voice is. The reports of its size vary massively from about human height to twice the size of a wyvern.

The animals it takes in the dead of night, never to be seen again. It doesn't leave their bodies lying where they can be easily found. The bandits it slays, however, display a wide range of injuries. Many of them have puncture or slash marks, but some have dents in their armor or even their _skulls_ that indicate some sort of clubbing attack, and many also don't sport obviously deadly injuries _at all_ ; it's as if they took a few small hits than just dropped dead.

At the very least it isn't targeting Ylissians. That's why the Shepherds haven't gone to deal with it. They never _intended_ to deal with it to be honest. As much as it's a pain to lose a few livestock here and there, the extra border security from it killing bandits is actually hugely helpful with Ylisse's limited military.

Not that they could tell that to the villagers. The villagers wouldn't care. So now that they're actually here, the Shepherds are basically forced to take care of it so as to not lose face.

"The information we've gathered is woefully insufficient." Miriel sighs. "The reports are occasionally contradictory, always impercise, and assign this creature many traits that do not seem to coincide in any natural creature."

"Perhaps then it is something from the Fey Jungle?" Sully suggests with a frown. "Naga knows that place is home to all sorts of horrors."

"It is possible." Miriel murmurs. "But creatures in the Fey Jungle seldom venture beyond it. There are insufficient food sources beyond its borders. A dire bear would not find enough food on a weekly basis to sustain itself. However, I will take this into account. It is merely unlikely, not an impossibility."

"Do ya think Plegia intentionally dumped it here?" Vaike offers in a surprising moment of intelligence. "Maybe they planned for it to cause a bit o' chaos, but instead it just kills bandits and such? They coulda gotten it from their other weird places too. What are they called…"

"The Titans Sinkhole and the Dead Swamp." Tharja says in a bored voice. "Even the grimleal avoid those places for the most part. It would have to have been captured by someone of extreme power, like Validar himself."

"But considering how little effect this creature has had so far it would be a very poorly thought-out plan, which doesn't seem Validar's style." Chrom mutters.

"Perhaps we should put this question aside for the moment." Frederick suggests. "We should focus on actually finding the creature first."

"Of course, no sense worrying over what we can't know." Chrom nods. "Panne, do you think you'll be able to track this thing?"

"We shall see." Panne frowns. "I do not know what I am searching for, so this will be a matter of luck, unfortunately."

"Hopefully when we get reports from the villages nearby we can narrow down the search area." Chrom sighs. "Alright, unless anyone has any more ideas, you're dismissed."

###

The Shepherds had heard of bandit attacks in one of the nearby villages. The bandits were also along the route the creature is suspected of taking, so Chrom makes the call to move to the recently attacked village in hopes that either the bandits or the creature will move on it.

They're not disappointed. Only a day after they set up camp near the village Bandits crash down on it in a nighttime raid. Or, they _would_ have crashed down on it if Sully hadn't sounded the alarm to rally the Shepherds to the defence.

The bandits aren't too much of a problem, but Chrom refuses to underestimate them. That's how unexpected injuries and deaths are suffered. Emmet is a testament to that. They don't need a repeat of what happened to him.

They beat the bandits back to the forest easily, but there's where the problems start. Without mounted lanterns around the village to help them they have to fight while holding torches, or else fight in the darkness.

Chrom chooses to fight without a torch. He charges into the brush swinging Falchion in wide arcs to cut down plants and bandits alike. Frederick is somewhere behind him in the thick of the fighting, but Chrom is trying to find the leader. He saw the man running away before any of the other bandits, so he should be beyond the rest of the bandits.

Running through the shadowed forest with sounds all around him makes finding the man rather difficult. Lights flicker in the distance from torches, and sometimes sputter and die as they are dropped. Shadows waver and slither about as Chrom barrels through them. Each little moment could just as easily be an axe aimed at his face as it could a leaf or a startled animal, so he has to be vigilant of everything.

It turns out to be unnecessary. The Prince literally stumbles over the leader's dead body a moment later. He can't tell what killed him thanks to the darkness, but he won't complain. He slits the man's throat for good measure, just in case he's faking it, and turns to run back to the Shepherds before he spots something from the corner of his eye. The hair on the back of his neck stands up on end when he gets a proper look at it.

It looks like a smiling mask. A perfect, pure white oval that stands in sharp contrast to the shadows around it, almost as if it's illuminated, but there's no light source nearby. The eyes and mouth are perfect circles and a perfect crescent respectively, quite unlike the eyes and mouth of any normal being. However, both the eyes and the mouth seem to be empty voids. It's just _black_. In fact, now that Chrom's studying it, the entire mask looks less like a mask and more like it's painted onto a dark surface.

Then the mask moves. It rotates sharply, ninety degrees, turning horizontal. Chrom startles from this movement and takes a step back, he also puts his sword between himself and this… _thing_. He isn't sure if it's something he did, or the sound of hooves approaching, but a moment later the mask suddenly pulls back into the darkness and is gone. It didn't turn around and run away, it was _pulled_ back while still looking at him, as if it was on a string.

Chrom feels much better when Frederick rides up to him, asking if the bandit leader has been defeated. The Prince says "yes", and accompanies his retainer back to the rest of the Shepherds.

###

"Woah…" Sully mutters as they return to where the bandit leader died last night. "Everything's dead."

She's technically not correct. The trees are alive… if a bit off-colored compared to the rest of the surrounding foliage. The grass and underbrush has all died though, and has turned a sickly purple color. With the sunlight to help, Chrom can now see the dead bandit leader's skin has also gained a purple tint.

"Some sort of poison?" Chrom asks, unsure.

"It would seem so." Miriel murmurs. "Though not one I am familiar with."

Well, that's not reassuring. Chrom had been holding out hope that Miriel would be able to identify their target once they got some concrete information on it. Apparently not.

"I've heard of something like this…" Tharja mutters in her usual low voice. "There's a rare type of poison in Plegia that has similar effects. It's actually not that potent, you need quite a bit of it for it to be useful, and as such it is used mostly to send a message rather than it's potency, which, again, is not very high."

"From where does the poison come?" Miriel asks.

"I don't know." Thajra sighs. "It's a rich man's poison, and a bad one at that. I only know a little about it."

"Ah, quite a shame…" The mage sighs. "It would have been immensely helpful."

"Sorry for not having future sight." Tharja remarks dryly.

"The smell here is… unusual." Panne murmurs. Her nose wrinkles in distaste. "Rotting plants."

"Rotting? How curious." Miriel says. "The plants should not have begun to rot. If they are already doing so, that would mean this poison has increased their rate of decomposition… or something with similar effects at least."

"Can you track it? Does the smell go beyond this area?" Chrom asks Panne urgently.

The woman stalks around the area, sniffing the ground and the trees around her. After a few minutes her eyes narrow, and she grabs her beaststone and transforms. At first the Shepherds worry combat is imminent, and they all grab for their weapons, but Panne goes right back to sniffing around. Miriel murmurs something about Taguel "having better senses in beast form" and start furiously scribbling in her notebook.

Panne starts moving off to the south, in the direction Chrom suspects the mask was dragged. Her nose is glued to the ground for the moment, but it doesn't stay that way for very long. She stops after five minutes of travel, sniffs around the area, and untransforms. "The scent ends here. It does not taper off gradually either. It vanishes."

"The thing can fly, right?" Sully asks. "Maybe it took off."

"Most likely." Miriel nods.

"So how do we find it then?" Vaike grumbles.

"If I may…" Cordelia coughs. "Myself and Sumia could search from the air. It is not a surefire way to find the thing, but at the very least it will be an active step."

"A fine idea." Frederick approves. "Milord?"

"Yes. Get going." Chrom nods. "If you see anything suspicious, keep your distance. If the thing can fly, it may be able to fight you when you are in the air. Do _not_ attempt to engage it."

"Understood Captain." Cordelia nods. She turns to her friend. "Sumia! Let's go."

"R-Right!"

###

This is bad. Very, very, very bad.

"Dive!" Cordelia orders her friend. The two swoop low in the air, and arrows shoot over their heads not a second later. The two of them were looking for a monster, not more bandits.

It doesn't help that these bandits weren't wearing the usual red, and instead have green clothing. They were almost totally camouflaged, and now that Cordelia can see them she notices that they have military-grade steel weapons, vulunaries and concoctions at their hips, a proper healer, and even some mages who are currently pulling out wind tomes.

Hardly random bandits. More likely these are Plegian military soldiers masquerading as bandits, and with their camouflage they are more dangerous than ever, and capable of proper ambushes… like this one.

"Wh-What do we do?" Sumia squeaks. Her pegasus does an aerial roll, narrowly avoiding another arrow. Sumia's hair wildly whips around her face from the movement. "We need to get away!"

"I know!" Cordelia groans. But they're being cut off. The archers are very intentionally shooting in _front_ of the pegasus knights, forcing them to suddenly stop or change direction. They've basically been flying in circles for the last two minutes while trying desperately to see a way out.

They could try to go up, but that's dangerous in its own right. If they go too high, they're going to start feeling lightheaded, and that's a great way to accidentally fall off your pegasus. It might be their only option at this point though.

Then something else unexpected happens. Some of the bandits start shouting and pointing to the west, and it's soon obvious why. A cloud of purple mist rolls amongst the trees, pushing towards the group of bandits. There must be something in it, because several of them turn their bows and spells away from the pegasus knights to shoot into the mist.

Sumia and Cordelia don't stay to figure out why. They flee, taking advantage of the bandits' distraction, and make a beeline back to the Shepherds.

###

"Over here!" Cordelia shouts.

Weapons in hand, the Shepherds charge through the forest. They can already hear the sound of battle ahead of them. It's not the clashing of weapons exactly, but the shouts of fighting and cries of terror that they hear.

Chrom is surprised the fight is still happening. It's been ten minutes since Cordelia and Sumia returned, which means it took them about ten minutes to get here to them _at least_. Small battles rarely last that long.

Then Chrom sees the purple smoke. He remembers the dead plants with the purple hue, makes the connection, and shouts out a warning. "Don't go near the smoke! It's poison!"

Various Shepherds bark their understanding as they move out to make a semi-circle and cut off the bandits' escape path.

" _This must mean the creature is nearby, right?_ " Chrom frowns. He's presuming the monster was the one who poisoned the plants and bandit in the first place. That could have been something entirely unrelated, but he thinks that's unlikely. " _It's either in the smoke, or on the other side of it… this fight might get nasty very quickly._ _We need to be cautious._ "

With the mist acting like a wall that stops the bandits from running away, the Shepherds can work quite effectively. They encircle the bandits to cut off any other escape route, and slowly press inwards. The bandits either fall to blades and magic, or are forced into the poisonous smoke where they don't reemerge. Presumably, they're killed by the creature.

With the Shepherds on the scene, the bandits are killed rather quickly. They surround the smoky area, pointing weapons at, but everyone stalls from then on, not sure how to handle the situation.

"Shall I shoot?" Virion asks uncertainly, after several seconds of inaction. "It does not seem to be attacking us."

Chrom doesn't know. He was honestly expecting the creature to attack them after the bandits were dealt with. He wasn't prepared for no response. "I… well…"

A laugh, "eyahahahaha!", sounds out from the smoke. It's distorted, like someone shouting through a cave or in a building with good acoustics. The laugh is followed by a low buzzing sound, and the smoke is propelled outwards, but also blown upwards. All the Shepherds take rushed steps away to avoid inhaling it.

The smoke being blown upwards blocks Chrom's view of the creature that rises out of it. He manages to spot a large back form, about twice the size of a wyvern, and four giant dragonfly-like wings that flutter rapidly in the same manner as a dragonfly.

"Captain! Do we strike?!" Cordelia shouts from the skies. She clenches her lance tightly, with her gaze fixed on the creature. _She_ can see its full form: a giant, black, bug-like thing with an extremely long and flexible neck with a white smile mask that looks painted onto the head. It has three pairs of legs along the body that end in sharp segmented spikes as well as two pairs of long, segmented spikes for arms. The entire body seems to be covered in chiten, basically bug armor, and Cordelia feels doubtful her lance is actually going to deal any damage.

Also, this thing is scaring her pegasus. Heck, it's scaring _her_. The smiling 'face' is truly unnerving. The eyes aren't even eyes. Cordelia can see sunlight illuminating the inside of them. They're just holes in its head.

"Get out of the way!" Chrom orders, then looks behind her and blanches. "Don't- oh gods _fly! Move!_ "

Cordelia doesn't question the order and immediately orders her pegasus into a dive. A second later a wyvern roars through the space her mount was just occupying, and an axe whips by where her head just was. Wyvern riders are easy to spot, but with all the Shepherds focused on the creature none of them had been looking at their surroundings.

The rider, and the other riders that accompanied it, are all dressed in the garb of Plegian soldiers. Chrom suspects now that the so-called bandits must have sent someone for reinforcements when they engaged the creature.

To Chrom's surprise, the creature ignores the Shepherds entirely, and instead barrels towards the nearest wyvern rider with a gargling screech. It strikes with its sharp forearms, making pinpoint strikes against the riders of the wyverns rather than the creatures themselves.

"Shepherds, regroup! Take down those wyverns!" Chrom orders. He glances into the forest, noting some more foes approaching on foot. It's not an insignificant amount either, there are at least fifty of them, and probably more he can't see. "We've got lots of infantry here! Nowi, stall them!"

" _You got it!_ " The manakete replies. She roars and rushes straight into the group, spitting divine fire indiscriminately to break up their formation rather than at any particular target.

Cordelia pulls her pegasus up sharply to avoid another lunge from a wyvern, only to be forced into a roll by another screeching over her head. They have _many_ fliers, and she and Sumia alone can't deal with this.

She isn't sure if it's a miracle or a death sentence when the creature swoops down from above to slam into one of her pursuers. It's legs are apparently as sharp as it's forearms, because they dig into the wyvern's scaly back, anchoring the creature to the wyvern, and allowing it to easily dispatch the rider with a club-attack made by violently whipping its head like one would a flail.

The wyvern, no longer getting directions from its rider, attempt to flee, which the creature allows. The creature turns its long head to look at Cordelia, and for a moment she thinks that she's the next target, but it looks away after a second and instead targets another one of the wyvern riders.

Cordelia is starting to suspect it's _intentionally_ ignoring the Shepherds. She isn't sure what to think about that. Is this thing actually an ally, or is it just prioritizing killing Plegians first?

It doesn't matter. Right now, they need to deal with this platoon. To keep safe, Cordelia decides to keep herself _above_ the creature. It's quicker to dive than to climb, so if it suddenly turns on her this will give her more time to react. This also effectively protects her underside though, as the creature will take out any foe that gets close. Sure, she's also protecting its upper body, but that's negligible.

The battle quickly becomes a fighting retreat for the Shepherds. They're all fine, but they're simply outnumbered. Nowi is forced to retreat when the Plegian platoon reveals mages, Sumia takes a strike to her shoulder and has to flee, and the Shepherds with horses or magic are occupied just keeping the rest of them from getting surrounded to be fighting to their fullest.

This fight is a bust. They need to get _out_.

Then something horrible happens. Chrom doesn't know if she stumbled over something or got hit by a spell, but Tharja takes a hard fall and the Plegians surge forwards to capitalize on it. Any doubt the Shepherds had about the creature being on their side are suddenly dismissed as it drops from the sky, landing over Tharja with its head reared high and claws flared defensively, and screeches at the Plegains approaching it. It snaps its head forward, spitting purple smoke at them, and strikes out with its forearms at the myrmidons that are foolish enough to get too close.

Chrom is baffled beyond belief that this thing is _helping_ them, but he's not about to complain. He grabs Tharja, who's sumbling out from under the giant creature's abdomen, and helps her flee while the creature covers them. The huge poisonous smoke cloud in the Plegian lines helps quite a bit as well.

As soon as the Shepherds have gotten enough distance, the creature takes to the air for its own protection. It flies above them as some sort of terrifying escort and strikes down wyvern riders (who are the only ones who can easily keep up with them) when they get too close.

At some point the Plegian platoon just gives up and turns around. They must have decided this fight wasn't getting them anywhere… and that Ylissian reinforcements might be coming (they're not, Ylisse's military is spread way too thin, but Plegia doesn't know the full extent of that).

So the Shepherds get back to their camp with their new… _companion_. It hovers above them for a few minutes, watching everyone. It's only when some of the Shepherds start breaking off to tend to wounds or repair weapons that it decides the situation is safe enough for it to land. It sets down a few dozen meters from the camp and close to the treeline, presumably so it can beat a quick retreat if it needs to.

"It demonstrates remarkable intelligence." Miriel notes excitedly. "I simply _must_ study it."

"Don't scare it too much Miriel." Vaike laughs. "Remember when ya tried to study Lon? Ya scared him good."

The mage isn't listening. "Some have reported hearing voices, is it possible it can speak? Can it understand us? How did it learn to do such a thing? When?"

Chrom steps in. "At the very least let me accompany you… for safety."

"Her's or its?" Vaike mutters under his breath. Chrom shoots him a look… but in his mind he actually agrees with the man. Frederick falls into step alongside him, guarding the two.

The creature watches them approach cautiously. It's head lowers to their level, but not without its claws opening slightly, prepared to strike in defence if need be. Chrom isn't even sure if it sees out of its "eyes" considering they aren't actually eyes, but just holes in its head. Actually, how does this thing eat? He hasn't seen the mouth move even when spitting poisonous smoke.

"Pardon my intrusion." Miriel begins, "but I could not restrain my curiosity! You have shown remarkable intelligence for a being that is not human-esque! It has long been argued that only beings that fall into the human-like, demi-human, or monstrous human categories, with the sole exception of dragons, are intelligent! Among plants for example, only Alraunes are intelligent. The next closest would be a vine wraith, who have the intelligence of apes, but if the reports are not exaggerated then you can _speak_ , yes!? If you are capable of such communication and complex thinking, it would be a breakthrough in our understanding of the world!"

The creature stills for a few seconds, then turns its head to face Chrom. The prince can't read it's emotions, it doesn't have facial expressions, but he wouldn't be surprised if it's silently asking: "is this one sane?" So Chrom just shrugs. He doesn't know what to tell it.

"So, I repeat, _can you speak_?" Miriel asks eagerly.

There's a long pause while the two stare at each other. Miriel with excitement, and the creature with… well, Chrom has no idea.

"If I say yes…" The creature says in a low, cautious voice. The mouth doesn't move, but the voice seems to come out of the mouth still. "Will you leave me alone?"

"Ah! You _can_ speak, and you understand me perfectly!" Miriel gasps. She starts furiously scribbling in her notebook. "You must tell me _everything_ about yourself!"

The creature quickly looks at Chrom. "Is this normal?"

Chrom snorts in amusement. "Yes." A moment ago this thing seemed like a massive threat, but… that's such a _normal_ response to Miriel. "I suppose she's gotten a bit ahead of herself though. She's Miriel. I'm Chrom, and this is Frederick. And you are…?"

"Robin."

The Prince blinks rapidly. "Robin?"

"Yes."

That's… a _weird_ name for a giant bug monster in Chrom's opinion. "I see."

"A human name? How peculiar…" Miriel mutters. She hasn't stopped writing. "Did you name yourself? Did your parents name you? Do you have parents? Or does your species more resemble bees, and you only have one relevant parent? What was your upbringing like? How did you learn to speak? Can you speak more than one language?"

Chrom feels like he's going to be here for a _looooong_ time.

###

Long interrogation short, Robin isn't really a bug monster… or he doesn't _think_ he is. He's an amnesiac, and he feels strange to be a bug monster, which (and Miriel agrees) seems to indicate he _shouldn't_ be a bug monster, else his inborn reaction to such a thing wouldn't be surprise. He's been stalking the Plegia-Ylisse border for about five months, but all the villagers run from him when he tries to approach. He's taken to killing bandit groups though, as he's no more fond of indiscriminate murder than any other person.

Everyone still finds his mask face _extremely_ creepy… except Miriel, who is looking at it scientifically ("an adaptation to help with hunting humans perhaps? Like the humanoid lure of an Alraune but less sophisticated? Fascinating…") and Tharja, who just _likes_ creepy things.

Chrom has also restricted Miriel to one hour of interro- _study_ a day with Robin. Thankfully, she only spends part of that time asking him questions, and much more attempting to reverse his condition. If this is a curse or transformation as she suspects it is, the condition should be reversible.

In the meantime however… Robin plays chess. No, Chrom isn't joking. Yes, it is sort of hilarious to watch a massive bug monster delicately move around tiny pieces with its claws. Even more funny is how Virion keeps winning, and you can tell Robin just lost by how his legs rapidly tap the ground in irritation.

Robin, unsurprisingly, can't fit into any of the tents, and as such is forced to sleep outside. He's plenty used to it, but it doesn't sit well with Chrom to do that to a Shepherd, even a new, giant-bug Shepherd.

It feels wrong especially when it rains, which it does.

* * *

 **You know what? I'm stopping here. I know this is a more awkward spot than usual but I honestly don't think I can make this idea work more. I like this idea, I really do, but it's** _ **not**_ **suited for Robin. It's reliant on horror, and horror doesn't really work once you know about the target, so as soon as Robin is no longer a foe he stops being scary in any way.**

 **I suppose there are a few ways I could have continued this chapter, but most of them are either boring or just pointless. It was fun to do this, and I learned quite a bit about how to do horror (even if not well), but I'm glad to move on from this.**

* * *

 **omegazeroinfi** **:** It was a bit more experimental, so I'm not surprised to hear it was a bit confusing. The next batch of epilogues are going to come at chapter 80, so it'll be a bit.

 **Darkness is complete** **:** Noted.

 **Dandaman5** **:** I have the same feeling to be honest. I'd love to see some of these ideas as full stories, but firstly: I doubt my own ability to do that well (my only attempted full story for Fire Emblem didn't get a lot of traction), and secondly: I wouldn't get to put out all the ideas. I figured small stories for all these would be better than trying (and failing) to do just a few. I'd hoped other people would pick up some of the ideas and run with them (and that offer is still open) but they didn't, so I guess this is what we get.

 **Vanderspiegel** **:** I see… alright. I can probably work with that.

 **DaredOrchid** **:** So alternating mind control by various members of the Shepherds? Interesting, albeit hard to explain in-universe.

 **MidnaMoo** **:** Glad you story! Nice to hear from a new name.

 **Guest** **:** That chapter seems to be a bit of a favourite. People just seem to love Tiki.

 **Dragon Tag** **:** I'll put those down. It's going to be _extremely_ hard to justify Sothis in-universe though.

 **Chai-Emlee** **:** Male Robin huh? I'll admit, for the longest while male Robin chapters were something I did begrudgingly. I enjoy them now, but it took me a while to find something to enjoy about them beyond certain chapters. A lot of people seem to love chapter 49, I think it's something about Tiki…

Nice to hear from you! You'll hear a bit more of chapter 49 Robin in the second round of short epilogues, but only a bit.

 **bauers374** **:** Lol.

 **Zomblay** **:** I've grown to enjoy the male ones too, but romance is my thing, and I find it a lot easier with Female Robin. You're totally right to say male Robin focuses more on the quirks. I give more focus to story than character in those (usually), so I intentionally cater to showing off multiple aspects of Robin's quirk than just the parts that make for a funny story or good romance.

Hope to see you around more!

 **thedock.j2** **:** Good. Even to this day I'm worried that chapter is going to catch flak, so it always reassuring to hear people think it's well done.

 **B1ackAshes** **:** So, I'm not going to address every single comment here like I usually would. I think we can both agree that would take forever, and is rather unnecessary. Instead, I'll jump to a few that caught my eyes, denoting by the chapter you reviewed.

(22) I have this tendency to turn villains of other stories into either tragic villains or redeemable characters. For some reason, I just don't like writing outright villains. It's the same reason I give Gangrel such preferential treatment. Actually, for a while, this chapter was one of what I considered my worst (it got quite the mixed reaction), though I've since changed my opinion.

(23) Okay, I _love_ this chapter. I consider it a good mix of showing off Robin's quirk (him dealing with the blood thirst by preying on a villager, and later Lissa, as well as showing his light aversion) and showing off his personality (the scene with spying on Chrom and Sumia, as well as his general interactions with Lissa). I'm curious as to your reason why you think the spying scene doesn't work. Is it because it doesn't focus on the quirk? Or does it feel poorly implemented in general? Both?

(26) This is one of my favourite chapters. Top five probably, or at least close to it. It was the first time (that I can remember) I combined two quirks into one story (houndmaster and blindness), and of course I enjoyed it because I got to use an aggressive personality for Robin, which is always fun.

(27) This chapter… it had a few revisions, and I'm still not satisfied with it (though I do enjoy it). I used Henry to force the plot along faster than I would have liked so I could get it all down in a reasonable amount of words. I think a lot of the chapters I write have good potential for a story, but this one in particular is one I'd love to see taken up.

(29) Yeah, definitely dropped the ball a bit here. I realized halfway through I wouldn't even be showing off his power at all, so that's why I had the scene with Nowi thrown it at the end. I like his personality, but that definitely could have been done better.

(30) Okay, this chapter I am _extremely_ proud of. I consider it one of my most well-written pieces of writing _ever_ to date. The repeated paragraph at the end is completely intentional. It's a repetition to show just how much each day is like the last. The same routine over, and over, and over.

(35) I'm rather sparing with my use of Emmet. I included him in the collection in the first place because I wanted an OC, but I force myself to not give him the spotlight without a very good reason because I know OCs can be intrusive and disruptive. I'm still on the fence if having him in any story is a good idea, but I'm quite committed now, so I guess he's staying.

(36) There are some concessions I have to make in my mental world-building for certain stories. Robin's mother is one of them. There are several cases where I write a chapter knowing full well there are issues in the background that make the story hard to explain if you look too closely at them. I sweep those under the rug for a sake of a good story most of the time, mostly because, as these are one-shots, I'll never have to address those issues.

(37) Yeah, this whole chapter was lackluster. I have no counter to that.

(41) Comedy doesn't come naturally to me, so this was a difficult chapter. The fact that I'm not good at writing lyrics, even for parodies, didn't help.

(46) Yeah, this one doesn't have much room to work with for a war-oriented story like Awakening's.

(50) I can't _not_ talk about this chapter. I consider Consistent Amnesia Robin a more well-written chapter all around, but this one holds a special place in my heart. There were a few concessions made to condense it already, so it certainly could have been a longer story even without Valm or Grima.

(53) I was so worried Robin wasn't going to go over well here, but it was some of the most fun I've had writing a character _ever_.

(60) That's fair criticism. That was a more experimental chapter.

I'll jot your ideas down. Don't worry about not having any if you can't think of them; as you can see from the list, I already have _plenty_ to work with.


	62. Mastermind Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **Minor: Dark Flier, Immortal, Boxer (Pugilist), Exploitive, Swordmaster, Angry Cinnamon Roll, Tripping, Perpetual Cheer, Chef, Blacksmith, Pegasus Knight, Teacher, Librarian, Masochist, Literal-Minded, Authoritative, Wyvern Rider, Phobia, Thicc, Tsundere, Damsel in Distress, Gangrel's Child, Wyvern Rider, Child, Communist, Bomber, Bear Cavalry, Flying, ADHD, Super Strength, Patriotic, Martial Artist, Scottish, Sassy, One Liner, Seamstress, Shephard, Speedy, Cool, Shy, Bookworm, Mercenary, Sweet, Kung Fu, Buff, Lazy, Wingless Flight, Blunt, Paranoid, Elf, Dwarf.**

 **Standard: Elemental, Deaf, Future sight, Nurse/Medic, Valmese Tactician, Medusa, Genderfluid, Gift from Validar + evil to good, Mimic, Emotionless, Crippling Overspecialization (Idiot Savant), Coward, ESP, POW, PTSD, Magician, Mute, Handicapped, Secret Helper, Crazy, Morpher, Dreamwalker, Twins, Regenerating, Animal Whisperer, Naga/Tiki Assistant, Deadly Touch, Mind Reader, Doppelganger, Arachne, D &D magic, Umbramancer, Dominatrix, Songstress, Kinky, Matchmaker, Androphobic, Illusionist, Attraction Aura, Ring Maker, Therapist, Teleporting, Crippled, Puppet, Broken, Hallucination, Depressed, Slave, Love Curse, Detective, Geokinetic, Trauma, Siren, Changeling.**

 **Unlikely: Chrom's child, Minotaur, Paladin, Werewolf, Assassin, Future Soldier, Bounty Hunter, Weather control, Kleptomaniac, Druid, Steampunk, Shadow Familiar, Magic Augmentation, Lucky, Exile, Piper (Charmer), Gladiator, Witch Doctor, Centaur, Drunk, Demon, Punk, Harpy, Revenant, Luck Manipulation, Demon Summoner, Megalomaniac, Kitsune, King of Plegia, Mood Ring, Reverse Aging, Hammerspace, Prostitute, Demon Hunter, Cyborg, Maid/Servant/Butler, Deadlord, Rebellion, Einherjar, Trap, Yandere, Living Weapon, Size Shifter, Queen of Plegia, Gluttonous, Stretchy, Alchemist, Protoss, Spirit Manipulation, Invisible, Plegian Honor Guard, Mecha, Kryptonian, Creator, Orc, Memory Stealing Respawn, Racer, Khan, Misfortune, Vampire Hunter, Geokinetic, Imaginary Actualization, Death, Resurrection, Force, Merchant, Background Music, Variable, Civilian, Natural Disaster, Mental Noise Projection, Hidden OP, Summoner, Cyclops, Teleporter, Cryokinetic, Genie, Judge, Intangibility, Fortune Teller, Future Vision, Serial Killer, Pervert, Magic Fixit, Drakengard Restoration, Ying-Yang, Childhood Friend, Cyberpunk, Chrom's Mother, Obsessed, Berserker, Phase Shift, Gravity Manipulation, Hallucinating, Bladesoul, Zombie, Double Entendre, Shared Body/Two Souls, Cannibal, Singer, Violent, Insane, Waterbender, Casanova, Cupid, Undertaker, Master Thief, Guard, Faceless, Shadow, Age Control, Cradle Snatcher, Emo, Singer, Nun, Courier, Haunted Knight Armor, Egyptian, Sentient Object, Shit Lord, Court Wizard, Naga's sibling, Mad Queen, Artist, Predator, Cheshire Cat, Radio Host, Chimera, Wendigo, Witch, Symbiote, Hivemind, Hammerspace, Anna, Mother Nature, Psychopath, Stripper, Painting, Grima Parts, Knightmare, Super, Swimsuit, Bunny Outfit, One Punch, Idol, Chef, Rampage, Housewife, Determination, Vessel of Naga, Instant Expert, Time Travel, Hermit, Alternate Dimension 'Twin', Legendary, Resistance, Memory Regain, Umbra Witch, Naga, Aquatic, Hexblade Warlock, Dragon, Demon of Choice, Demon of Temptation, Affliction, Good Samaritan, Gallant, Rosannite Tactician, Leeroy, Dungeon, Apparition, Unwilling, Wildlife Commander, Consistent Kidnapee, Grenadier, Magic Creature, Alternating Mind Control, Sothis in the Mind, Exalt, Unicorn, Pegasus, Alicorn, Star Lord, Slenderman, Bird Laguz.**

 **Other: Second Generation replacement, Dimensional Walker, Cycle, Fates.**

 **Mastermind Robin, of my own devising.**

* * *

"I have a plan!" Robin announces loudly, and clenches her fist in determination. "Chrom will be _mine_ by the week's end!"

"Oh, really?" The other person in the tent replies dryly. He's not even looking at her; he's going over the inventory list. "And what makes you think this will be any more effective than your last fifty other attempts?"

"Because this plan has been refined to the utmost degree, because my intelligence is unmatched, because there is _nothing_ beyond the grasp of Robin D Tealeaf!" She cries. Robin plants one foot on the desk, the other and her chair, and stares up at the ceiling while raising her fist. She looks like what one would expect out of the protagonist of a generic adventure novel. She even doesn't have her arms in the sleeves of her coat, so it drapes down her back like a cape.

Really _everything_ about Robin looks like came out of a fantasy novel. Her hair is coal black, and styled into a deceptively elaborate series of spikes that goes all the way down to her waist, her deep purple eyes are set firmly in her face, she's relatively short (hence, Emmet thinks wryly, why she likes standing on tables), but the combination of a somewhat gaudy coat alongside otherwise sharp and formal clothes lends her an air of power… or, at least, that's what she claims it does.

"Right, so, the same as all the other ones." The quartermaster mutters.

"No, not the same…" Robin whispers dramatically. She tilts her head even higher, until she's looking straight up. She brings her fist to her chest. "This one will succeed. I _know_ it to be true."

"Uh-huh."

"Do not doubt, quartermaster! I see all! I know all! I predict all!"

Emmet glances at her and raises a tired eyebrow. Robin can't even see him with how she's looking at the ceiling from her ridiculous dramatic posturing. Calmly, he raises his quill, and promptly pokes her in the stomach

"I see all, my - aaaAAAUGH!" The girl leaps back at feeling the sharp point of the quill. She forgot, however, that she's on a table, so she ends up toppling to the floor in an undignified heap.

"You know all, huh?" Emmet says. He goes back to work as Robin picks herself up off the ground and huffily brushes off her coat. "You don't _see_ all apparently."

"A mere fluke!" Robin protests. She holds her head high, looking down her nose at the man, and then sighs when she sees he's already gone back to ignoring her. She's not dissuaded though, and starts strutting around the tent. "My _brilliance_ is unmatched! It always comes up with a solution in the end! This time I _will_ have success!"

"Right." Emmet dips his quill in the inkwell. "What is it this time? Are you going to drag him up a mountain again? Or do you have need of another chicken?"

"I used a chicken once." Robin mutters. " _Once._ "

"I think it was one of your better plans." The quartermaster remarks wryly. "Tying a letter to a chicken and having it run amok in his tent? Very classy."

Robin's confidence wavers for a moment as she remembers that particular failure. "It was not my most shining moment… but _genius_ is never tarnished for long! For this plan, I require a pint of apple juice!"

Emmet lets out a long, tired sigh. He doesn't really want to know… but he knows he's going to find out soon enough, whether he wants to or not.

###

"Frederick, around the left flank!" Robin commands with a sharp flash of lightning from her fingertips. "Stahl, Sully, the right! Kellam, keep holding the line for a bit longer! Maribelle, get up there! Kellam need healing!"

Robin almost looks like a conductor in her current position. She's standing atop a small hill, throwing sparks and fire from her hands not to attack, but to use as signals to direct her companions. Her overview of the battlefield from up there allows her to work her tactics far better than a limited view from the front lines.

"Sumia! Take a wide path and strike down that mage!" Robin commands. With that last order given, she falls silent, and watches her preparation pay off.

These bandits have been harrassing villages on the west end of Ylisse, and Panne managed to identify a trail frequented by the group. Robin then planned an ambush. She dug pit traps and layered them with leaves, had Virion and the mages hide up in trees around the ambush point, she found a hill from where she could command everything when the battle was sprung, and she organized camouflage for all the infantry so that they could get a surround right at the start of the battle. The only minor issue was that horses are hard to conceal, so their cavalry and fliers had to stay a decent distance away so as to not be noticed.

Altogether though, it's a nearly flawless ambush.

The girl lets a satisfied grin cross her face when she sees Kellam slam his large shield into a bandit's face, and send him toppling back into the main pit trap where several of his companions are already stuck. That seems to be the last of them that were able to fight, so Robin starts making her way down the hill to join her companions.

"Yet another _flawless_ victory courtesy of Robin D Tealeaf!" She announces pridefully as she strides across the battlefield to stand at the edge of the pit trap. She crosses her arms and tilts up her nose while staring down at the men trapped within. "You crossed the wrong team, fools! The Shepherds are an unmatched fighting force, the likes this world has not seen in decades!"

"Fuck you!" One of the bandits snaps in response.

"Hah! You wish you could, ruffian. But I, Robin D Tealeaf, _master_ tactician, strategist extraordinaire, am far superior to your _disappointing_ selves!" Robin boasts, totally unaffected. Her ego is on full display, and the rolling eyes of all the other Shepherds are fairly telling that they're all plenty used to this. "I do not begrudge your admiration however, you clearly understand my mastery! It oozes of me in waves; an aura all to myself!"

"Shut up you stupid cunt!" Is the reply. Robin promptly zaps him in the face with a lightning bolt.

###

Robin walks in the tent frowning, sullen, and soaked in something sticky.

"Another failure?" Emmet asks without even looking up from his work.

"Another _near success_ thank you very much." Robin grumbles. "I almost had him! I know it! He was looking to me, with an eyebrow raised and a smile on his face. Leaning forwards over the table… and then Sumia came in and knocked the glasses from my hand, and _this_ happened." She gestures to herself in frustration. "I had him in the palm of my hand, and then I was foiled by the cruel whims of fate!"

"Uh-huh." The quartermaster nods absently. He puts down his quill, and moves to grab a cloth. "Fate, right. That bullshit."

"But I will not be defeated by mere _fate_!" Robin cries, clenching her fists in determination. "I _will_ have-" She's promptly stopped by a cloth, slightly damp with water, being shoved in her face. She sputters in a decidedly undignified manner as Emmet calmly washes the apple juice off her face. She tries to push him off, but the quartermaster stoically keeps the cloth on her face and does a thorough job.

"You really should have gone right to the bath." The quartermaster says dryly as he wrings out the clothand moves onto her hair.. "Do you know how much of a pain it would be to get this out if you let it dry?"

"I am a _genius_! It would be effortless to- ack, stop pulling!" She yelps. "Ouch, ouch, _ouch_!"

"You're not an infant. Deal with it." The man mutters. After he's done as much as he can with her hair, he eyes her clothes, decides he can't do anything about that, and throws the cloth in the water bucket. "For a so-called genius, you're surprisingly lacking in common sense."

"Hah! You say that only because you are jealous of my _towering_ intellect!" She says this loudly, with pride in her voice, but the way she's combing her hands through her hair with a pout on her face makes it impossible to take her seriously.

"Right. We'll go with that." He sits back down in his chair and picks up his quill again, but not before pulling out a stool and sliding to the other side of the table. Robin sits upon it without further prompting. "Did you actually ask him out this time, or did you ramble again?"

"...I rambled." Robin mutters in defeat. "I was _going_ to ask, but Sumia happened."

Emmet sighs. It's hardly the first time this has happened. Even in cases where she's had virtually _unlimited_ time, she's never managed to spit it out. The last thing she needs is him poking fun at her at this moment though. It's beyond him how she can be incredibly confident in every other situation _except_ admitting her attraction. She can organize the most absurd schemes, even the ones involving Chrom, and has no shame in anything she does there, but for all that she falls flat when the time comes to just admit her attraction.

It's kinda funny in a sad, frustrating sort of way. This sort of post failed-plan mope session in Emmet's tent is far from uncommon.

"However!" Robin suddenly says, slamming a fist on the table. "I already have a _new_ plan for my next attempt!"

"Joy." Emmet says dryly. Robin doesn't stay down for long… for better or for worse is debatable. The quartermaster is fairly sure Chrom is getting tired of having Robin spring a new 'plan' on him every other day.

Ah, whatever. Chrom can endure a bit of annoyance. Robin probably needs something to keep her attention like this anyways. Emmet doesn't want to imagine what a bored Robin could get up to in her free time.

###

Chrom, Flavia, Basillio… all of them thought too narrowly. At least, according to Robin they do. There's more ways to stop a king than stabbing him in the face. You could try Emmeryn's approach, diplomacy, though considering Gangrel's character that was never likely to work.

No, Robin has other plans. Winning the war through combat is just the backup. The first step was to identify a prominent member of Gangrel's court and take over their identity. She chose Mustafa, and rather than killing him like she planned, she discovered he was a perfectly nice man, and it was relatively easy to get him to agree to follow her orders. That's even better.

The second step is for Mustafa to get in contact with other prominent members. That's not difficult. He already has a rapport with some of them. Robin is concerned with a select few, however: Validar, head of religion. Gerhard Mekrov, head of the military. And lastly, the elusive Paula, head of commerce. Gangrel himself, of course, is also included in that list.

Step three is… well it's a lot of steps condensed into one. The gist, however, amounts to "get everyone to fight among themselves". Knowing how volatile ruling Plegia is, there's almost certainly several aspiring rulers waiting for the right time to seize power. Robin is just hurrying that along with rumors, a few bribes, a bit of sabotage, and a few carefully executed assassinations.

Gaius, and most of the spies Ylisse has available, are getting quite the workout under Robin's command. They stop the plots of those various factions while making it look like the other factions are responsible in some way. They kill key players of each faction, pushing the urgency of their respective plots. They spread rumors of conspiracy, false plots, some true plots, and sew uncertainty and discord in the council.

It will all come crashing down eventually, and when it does Robin has good reason to believe Gangrel will be quite dead at the end of it all. Almost all the other council members want more power, and Gangrel keeps them on a short leash. To get anything done, he's going to have to be removed and replaced, either with themselves or a more lenient individual.

Unless Gangrel can somehow come out on top, against _all_ the other council members, he's a dead man walking.

Robin sits back in her chair as Gaius leaves the room. In his hand is a new set of orders to give to Mustafa. Hopefully, once they've been done, these will push Gerhard over the edge by establishing the (fake) threat of Validar being dangerously close to unravelling and exposing him, and force Gerhard to execute his plan or risk it all falling apart.

A smug, confident smile crosses Robin's face. Everything is going according to plan.

###

This wasn't the plan. This is the opposite of the plan. It was supposed to be _her_ in Chrom's arms, not Sumia. What did Robin do wrong? _Did_ she do something wrong, or did Sumia do something right? Did she ever have a chance?

"I had a plan…" Robin murmurs sadly to herself. She should feel happy for them, but… she can't bring herself to be at the moment. "It was going to work this time… right?"

"Hmm…" Emmet refrains from commenting. He knows _exactly_ why Robin didn't succeed, she could never spit out her feelings (and he told her as much), but the last thing she needs right now is to have her failure rubbed into her face. He gets up from his work, and moves to rummage around in his personal belongings for a moment. He pulls out two small wooden shot glasses, and a tall bottle of wine. "Hope you like cherry."

Robin makes a non-committal mumble, but she accepts the cup when it's presented to her and downs the drink in one swig. "I failed…? B-But I'm a genius…"

"I'd hardly say you failed." Emmet mutters. He sips his drink at a much more moderate pace. "You're misunderstanding your own goal."

"Chrom _was_ my goal!" Robin whines.

"Hardly." The man snorts. "Your goal was love. Chrom was just the most obvious and desirable means to that end, right?"

Robin squints at him. " _I'm_ the genius here… how come you know you know me better than myself?"

"I don't. I'm taking an educated guess, because 'wanting someone' doesn't make much sense for its own sake unless you're a control freak." Emmet snorts. "You want love, and who doesn't?"

"Gangrel." Robin supplies. "Validar."

"What _sane_ person wouldn't?" Emmet clarifies. He pours the girl another shot. "So, what I'm saying is… you haven't failed."

"Haven't I?" Robin mutters. "Unless you're telling me I should steal Chrom away from Sumia."

"No, not that." He sighs. "You haven't failed because Chrom isn't the goal. Love is the goal. Unless you're giving up on love, you haven't failed."

"But Chroooom!" She whines. The tactician downs the other drink in one swig, again.

Emmet rolls his eyes. "Yes, it sucks, but Chrom isn't your only option. Maybe you haven't found another yet, probably because you haven't been looking, but it's never the case that you're only capable of loving _one_ person in the entire world… because if that's true, that says something rather nasty about you."

Robin huffs. Her cheeks are starting to get a bit red because she rarely has alcohol, so her tolerance is _quite_ low. She reaches for the bottle, but Emmet lifts it out of her reach. "Hey…!"

"You've had enough." Emmet says firmly as he puts away the bottle. "I won't be responsible for you getting drunk."

"You offered it to me… I've only had two!"

"It's my bottle. It's my choice when to cut you off." Emmet retorts.

"But…" Robin mumbles. Her voice drops from a loud whine to something approaching a whimper. Tears prick the corner of her eyes, and she drops her head to the table. "I need _something_ for the pain."

"I guarantee you alcohol isn't the solution… not in large amounts anyhow." Emmet sighs. However, his words don't give the girl any comfort, and the man grimaces. This isn't his strong suit. He _avoids_ talking to people for the most part, so his experience in comforting others is basically zero. Also… this is Robin. It's weird to see her anywhere _close_ to sad. Her stupid amoung of confidence usually negates that.

Sighing, he reaches over and ruffles her hair. This doesn't quite feel like what he's supposed to do, but it's the best idea he has.

"It fades eventually…" He murmurs. "Don't worry. I speak from experience."

###

Gangrel is dead. The news found its way through Robin's spies back to her. Her plot went off without a hitch.

The problem is that the war hasn't ended. It's gotten far easier, but Plegia didn't dissolve into chaos like Robin expected. Sure, there are issues. Plegia's most powerful factions are currently embroiled in a power struggle, but Mekrov has taken over the war effort entirely, and the others have the good sense to not interfere with him.

That said, without Gangrel's absolute lunacy directing the war, Plegia has become less dangerous. The reason they were such a danger before was because Gangrel has no problem throwing a stupid amount of his troops at Ylisse in the form of bandits rather than an actual army. Merkov seems to be abandoning the fake bandit plan altogether, which makes it much easier to accurately guess Plegia's troop numbers because few of them are hiding (as they're hoping to abuse their numbers advantage.

By fighting smarter, Plegia has actually become _less_ dangerous.

So, not quite the total victory Robin was hoping for, but still an advantage. Merkov is also less of a nut than Gangrel is, so there's a chance Emmeryn can actually reason with him.

Robin is disappointed though. She was hoping for a complete, devastating victory where Plegia collapsed around them! This is good… but not enough in her opinion. She's a _genius_! Her plans should never fall short of their mark, even if the result is still good! This is an affront to her skills! The _universe_ is mocking her!

Yes, that's it! The universe is jealous of Robin D Tealeaf's _incredible_ skills!

"I'm sure that's the case." Emmet responds dryly at the end of Robin's monologue. "Now, did you want me to train you, or did you just want an excuse to vent and brag?"

The two of them are standing on the training grounds with levin swords in hand. Robin did indeed ask him out here to train her. Apparently the veteran is a master of magic weapons, and having recently obtained a levin sword of her own she thought it prudent to get lessons from someone who actually knows what they're doing.

"Your lack of patience will be your downfall!" Robin says in a grand voice. "Were I someone less tolaterant, I might be offended that you-"

"I'm leaving."

"Ack, no, sorry, sorry! Please teach me!"

###

"You make a good sidekick."

Emmet raises an eyebrow warily. This conversation just started, and he already doesn't like it. "How so?"

"For many months now you have facilitated my _brilliant_ mind, towering strategic powers, _genius_ plans-"

"Get on with it…" The man interrupts.

"Erm, well, what I mean to say is… you always help me get my hands on what's needed for my plans, even the petty ones." Robin coughs.

"Is this about the chicken again?"

"No! Well, not _just_ the chicken." She murmurs. "It simply occurs to me that your willingness to obtain whatever I need has proven invaluable for facilitating my plans, and such a thing is basically the role of a sidekick, or assistant."

"So basically, this is a roundabout and slightly insulting way of saying thank you?" Emmet responds dryly. "Gee, thanks. I'm flattered."

"Insult- no! This is a compliment from a _genius_! You should be flattered."

"Right." The man says wryly. "Thanks, I guess."

"You are welcome, sidekick."

" _Don't_ call me that."

* * *

 **This works well enough as a stopping point.**

 **This idea honestly came out of nowhere. I had just finished up the last chapter of The Robin Variable, Horror Monster, when this idea sprang to mind. I based Robin in this chapter off of characters like Dr. Doofenshmirtz and Dr. Drakken, and the general idea of a hammy, self-absorbed mastermind. Using Emmet was something I didn't expect to do when I started writing this chapter either, but I quickly discovered he actually fit the dynamic I was going for better than any other character. The original idea was to use someone like Lon'qu, or Frederick, but they didn't quite mesh, so I chose the most sarcastic person I could think of... Emmet. I know OCs aren't everyone's thing, but I think it worked quite well here.**

* * *

 **bauers374** **:** I'll note them down. Doctor Strange Robin isn't viable though.

 **ARSLOTHES** **:** Dwarf and Elf are relatively minor traits, so I can probably shove them in somewhere. Centaur… hmm… I'll see.

 **Firehedgehog** **:** Interesting… it might run into a lot of the same problems as Horror Monster, but still interesting.

 **Darkness is complete** **:** I actually did that already, though the chapter that does that isn't one of my strongest. Look for Replicate Robin.

 **B1ackAshes** **:** No problem. Replying to reviews is one of my favourite parts of actually making these chapters.

 **Fantasy Paradise** **:** I'll put it on the list. No promises though. I'm not horribly familiar with Laguz in general.

 **Guest** **:** Considering I don't recognize any of those except new game plus (which isn't applicable for Awakening because there is no new game plus, and it breaks the fourth wall) I'm gonna say no to _all_ of those. Not that they're bad ideas, I just don't have the knowledge to do any of them.

 **ZooMan** **:** _Multiverse_ by The Right Hand of Light, _25 Lives_ by StarrNight, _A psychologist in the army_ by Angel Emille, _Abberation_ by RedXEagl3, _Cycle_ by RoseWarden, and _Over My Head_ by AceTrainerHope (AO3). There are more, but I can't easily find/remember them. I don't keep a list.

 **Quiet :** No, I haven't, but I have watched playthroughs of it. Nosk was indeed a major inspiration for that version of Robin.


	63. Mercenary Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **Minor: Dark Flier, Immortal, Boxer (Pugilist), Exploitive, Swordmaster, Angry Cinnamon Roll, Tripping, Perpetual Cheer, Chef, Blacksmith, Pegasus Knight, Teacher, Librarian, Masochist, Literal-Minded, Authoritative, Wyvern Rider, Phobia, Thicc, Tsundere, Damsel in Distress, Gangrel's Child, Wyvern Rider, Child, Communist, Bomber, Bear Cavalry, Flying, ADHD, Super Strength, Patriotic, Martial Artist, Scottish, Sassy, One Liner, Seamstress, Shephard, Speedy, Cool, Shy, Bookworm, Sweet, Kung Fu, Buff, Lazy, Wingless Flight, Blunt, Paranoid, Elf, Dwarf, Scottish.**

 **Standard: Elemental, Deaf, Future sight, Nurse/Medic, Valmese Tactician, Medusa, Genderfluid, Gift from Validar + evil to good, Mimic, Emotionless, Crippling Overspecialization (Idiot Savant), Coward, ESP, POW, PTSD, Magician, Mute, Handicapped, Secret Helper, Crazy, Morpher, Dreamwalker, Twins, Regenerating, Animal Whisperer, Naga/Tiki Assistant, Deadly Touch, Mind Reader, Doppelganger, Arachne, D &D magic, Umbramancer, Dominatrix, Songstress, Kinky, Matchmaker, Androphobic, Illusionist, Attraction Aura, Ring Maker, Therapist, Teleporting, Crippled, Puppet, Broken, Hallucination, Depressed, Slave, Love Curse, Detective, Geokinetic, Trauma, Siren, Changeling.**

 **Unlikely: Chrom's child, Minotaur, Paladin, Werewolf, Assassin, Future Soldier, Bounty Hunter, Weather control, Kleptomaniac, Druid, Steampunk, Shadow Familiar, Magic Augmentation, Lucky, Exile, Piper (Charmer), Gladiator, Witch Doctor, Centaur, Drunk, Demon, Punk, Harpy, Revenant, Luck Manipulation, Demon Summoner, Megalomaniac, Kitsune, King of Plegia, Mood Ring, Reverse Aging, Hammerspace, Prostitute, Demon Hunter, Cyborg, Deadlord, Rebellion, Einherjar, Trap, Yandere, Living Weapon, Size Shifter, Queen of Plegia, Gluttonous, Stretchy, Alchemist, Protoss, Spirit Manipulation, Invisible, Plegian Honor Guard, Mecha, Kryptonian, Creator, Orc, Memory Stealing Respawn, Racer, Khan, Misfortune, Vampire Hunter, Imaginary Actualization, Death, Resurrection, Force, Merchant, Background Music, Variable, Civilian, Natural Disaster, Mental Noise Projection, Hidden OP, Summoner, Cyclops, Teleporter, Cryokinetic, Genie, Judge, Intangibility, Fortune Teller, Future Vision, Serial Killer, Magic Fixit, Drakengard Restoration, Ying-Yang, Childhood Friend, Cyberpunk, Chrom's Mother, Obsessed, Berserker, Phase Shift, Gravity Manipulation, Hallucinating, Bladesoul, Zombie, Double Entendre, Shared Body/Two Souls, Cannibal, Singer, Violent, Insane, Waterbender, Casanova, Cupid, Undertaker, Master Thief, Guard, Faceless, Shadow, Age Control, Cradle Snatcher, Emo, Singer, Nun, Courier, Haunted Knight Armor, Egyptian, Sentient Object, Shit Lord, Court Wizard, Naga's sibling, Mad Queen, Artist, Predator, Cheshire Cat, Radio Host, Chimera, Wendigo, Witch, Symbiote, Hivemind, Hammerspace, Anna, Mother Nature, Psychopath, Stripper, Painting, Grima Parts, Knightmare, Super, Swimsuit, Bunny Outfit, One Punch, Idol, Chef, Rampage, Housewife, Determination, Vessel of Naga, Instant Expert, Time Travel, Hermit, Alternate Dimension 'Twin', Legendary, Resistance, Memory Regain, Umbra Witch, Naga, Aquatic, Hexblade Warlock, Dragon, Demon of Choice, Demon of Temptation, Affliction, Good Samaritan, Gallant, Rosannite Tactician, Leeroy, Dungeon, Apparition, Unwilling, Wildlife Commander, Consistent Kidnapee, Grenadier, Magic Creature, Alternating Mind Control, Sothis in the Mind, Exalt, Unicorn, Pegasus, Alicorn, Star Lord, Slenderman, Bird Laguz, Junk Dealer, Gate Guardian, Shaman.**

 **Other: Second Generation replacement, Dimensional Walker, Cycle, Fates.**

 **Mercenary, as suggested by Dragon Tag, and Pervert, as suggested Invisible Prince.**

* * *

"Enjoying yourself?" Tharja asks dryly.

"Yep." Robin says with an unabashed grin. He's leaning against a rock as Tharja bends over to scrape moss off the rocks in the cave. It doesn't take a genius to figure out what he's looking at.

"You could _help_ you know."

"You hired me for protection, not manual labour." Robin responds cheerily. "I don't have to do shit."

"True, I could also turn you inside out with my magic right now for your staring." Tharja snaps.

"But you won't." The mercenary chuckles. "You're not as scary as you pretend to be."

Robin doesn't even flinch when a flux impacts the stone just beside his face. If anything, his grin gets even bigger.

"See? All talk."

"I don't want to lose what I paid for. I can kill you later."

"Suuuure..." Robin teases. His brown eyes twinkle in amusement. "We'll go with that."

###

"Whoops, down we go." Robin says calmly as he pulls Tharja to the ground as an arrow slips by his ear. "And roll-" they roll, avoiding another arrow, "and stand, and _kill_." He stands up quickly and smashes the throat of one of the bandits attacking them with his zweihander. Tharja makes quick work of the archer with a well-placed flux. "Let's see… ooh, more bandits, fun. Mages too? Very classy."

Tharja fires a few spells at the oncoming group. "How bothersome."

Robin pulls a bow off his back while sheathing his sword. "As fun as it may be to fight these, doing so with just the two of us is probably not the best idea."

"Scared?" Tharja sneers.

"Hardly. We can do it if you want to, this is what you're paying me for, but I'm just saying that two on fifteen isn't great odds, even for people of our skill." Robin suggests. He pulls back his bowstring, aims carefully, and releases. He makes sure to move to the side to avoid the spells now being thrown their way. "You have what you came for, right? We can just flee. The reinforcements are far enough away. We're not noble knights or something. We're not obliged to stay."

"It's not about being _noble_ , it's about reminding people why dark magic is feared." Tharja sneers. "They think they can attack a dark mage and live? I won't _allow_ it."

Robin shrugs. "If you say so. Don't be reckless though. Your pride isn't worth your life."

Tharja glares. "I didn't ask you to be a fountain of wisdom. Now _fight_."

"If I must." The man sighs dramatically.

They win, but Tharja is forced to use nosferatu, and Robin is chugging concoctions the whole fight.

###

"Look at pretty lady and lucky man! At least, that what Gregor was thinking until he saw it was Robin. Now Gregor think lady is unlucky." The man chuckles.

"Look at that nice old man and his cute kid… is what I _was_ going to say until I saw your ugly mug. Where'd you kidnap this one from Gregor?" Robin scoffs in response.

"Gregor not kidnap! Also, Nowi not kid. Is right Nowi?"

"Yeah! I'm older than all of you!" The girl huffs. "I'm at _least_ a few thousand years old!"

Robin finds it hard to believe, in part because of how she's getting a piggyback from Gregor at the moment. His suspicion must show on his face, because Nowi scowls at him. "Are you sure Gregor didn't grab you out of some orphanage or something…?"

Nowi doesn't even dignify that with a response. She crosses her arms and sticks her tongue out at him.

"And what about Robin? Hmm? Pick up lady from bar? Or maybe she pick up _you_ , not realising personality, hmm?" Gregor chuckles.

"Oh, how I wish." Robin sighs wistfully. "But no, she's just my client."

"Ah…" Gregor nods sagely. He places a hand on Tharja's shoulder, and she glares at him suspiciously. "Gregor apologise in advance, and in past, for Robin being… Robin."

Tharja rolls her eyes. "Thanks I guess."

"Excuse you, I'm not _that_ bad."

"Right… if Robin say so." Gregor says in a clearly disbelieving tone. "Gregor bet money Robin already get slapped, maybe kicked or punched, at least once already."

"Well you'd lose that bet." Robin huffs.

"Because only been employed for few days?"

"Two weeks thank you." The man retorts.

"Is true? Very tolerant lady you find." Gregor chuckles.

"Tolerant?" Tharja sneers. "Hardly. He just knows his place."

Robin snorts, and hides it (poorly) with a cough. Tharja gives him a withering look in response.

"Well, if Robin act too much like… Robin. Give smack. Usually fixes problem." Gregor laughs.

"Noted."

"Best of luck with job Robin! Maybe have drinks soon if have free time?"

"Definitely." The mercenary nods. "Bye Gregor."

###

"You know, I don't think I've ever gotten an assignment like this before." Robin says conversationally. "Usually people hire mercenaries for fighting or protection, not for spying through windows as you sit on their shoulders. I mean, I'm not really complaining here; having a nice pair of thighs around my head is plenty fine with me, but I do question _why_ I'm needed here exactly. A ladder would do the same job."

"For the last time, we're following him." Tharja hisses. "He's a dangerous person, as are all grimleal. If this infiltration goes wrong, I need you as backup."

"Infiltration? We're just stalking-"

" _At the moment_ we're stalking. We're going to follow him back to his place, wherever that is, and when he leaves again we're going to read every letter and note we can find."

"Ah." Robin nods. "Erm… why?"

"The grimleal are always up to something." Tharja says in a bitter tone that speaks of experience. "And Charlad is a particularly active and nasty member."

"Why don't we just _kill_ him then?"

"Too risky. I don't want a direct confrontation. He's strong." Tharja grimaces. "Besides, that would put the grimleal on high alert. I can't afford that. It's hard enough to get information as is."

"Alright." Robin shrugs. "I'm all for sticking it to the grimleal. As long as you know what you're doing. I'd hate to see such a nice body get blown to pieces."

"Speak your mind why don't you?" Tharja mutters with a roll of her eyes. Still, perverted motives or not, he agreed to help, and she's glad for that. This is _well_ beyond his original contract, both in scope and duration, but he's still sticking around despite the fact that the pay is mediocre (Tharja only has so much money to spare after all).

"Ooh, can I?"

" _Don't_."

###

"Ow." Tharja hisses. "You better not be doing that on purpose."

"Well, that's sort of how the anti-infection paste works." Robin chuckles. "So yes, it _is_ intentional, because it's for the best."

Tharja glares, and then hisses in pain again as Robin applies the paste to another wound.

"That's what you get for wasting your nosferatu tome, and my concoctions, and that elixer you bought, and that vulunary you blackmailed out of-"

"I get it." The dark mage growls. Her eyes narrow. "Keep mocking me and see what it gets you."

"A bonus? Respect? A compliment? A kiss? All of the above?" Robin suggests cheekily.

Tharja's glare promises murder. Robin's grin promises more teasing.

###

"Well well, that's the prince isn't it?" Robin whispers. "My… I am _not_ getting paid enough for this…"

"You're dismissed."

"Wha- you know I was kidding right? This is _exactly_ what you pay me for."

"I'm going to defect." Tharja says bluntly. "I won't drag you along with me." She reaches into a pouch on her waist, and pulls out several gold coins. "Here's the rest of your pay. You're free to go."

"Right…" Robin says slowly.

Tharja doesn't wait for more talk. She needs to move if she wants to make this transition smoothly. She makes smooth strides towards where the blue-haired swordsman is fighting off a wyvern rider. She tries to look calm, if she looks panicked it will be clear that she's doing something suspicious.

" _Just walk up, kill the wyvern, and insist you're on his side._ " Tharja tells herself. She pulls out her flux tome and allows dark magic to pool in her other hand. " _And hope he doesn't run you through for being a Plegian instead…_ "

She's so focused on the wyvern rider and the prince that she misses the pegasus knight swooping down at her. It's only Robin nearly shooting the girl out of the sky, forcing her to turn away, that makes Tharja realize she needs to pay more attention.

"I told you that you were dismissed!" Tharja snaps angrily to mask her fear.

"Indeed, but apparently you're _hopeless_ without me." Robin teases. "Besides, I'd love to see Ylisse. So I guess I'll just tag along with you."

"Oh joy…" Tharja drawls sarcastically.

"You know you love me." Robin quips back. "Me and my hot bod…"

"I think that's the other way around."

"Well I can't deny that…"

###

" _And I thought Virion was bad…_ " Chrom thinks to himself. " _At least Virion_ _pretends_ _to not be a lech._ "

The same can't be said for Robin. In the week the brown-haired man been with the Shepherds he's hit on almost every woman on the team. He even hit on _Phila_ , and _Emmeryn_. Even Virion hasn't been that bold.

That said, it's fairly clear to Chrom that Robin isn't serious about any of it. He's clearly attached to Tharja who, for all the annoyance she displays at his unabashed flirtation and perversity, never actually _rejects_ his presence. That says something about their relationship because Tharja has no problem telling people to fuck off if she doesn't want them around.

"Milord." Frederick's voice interrupts his thoughts, and the knight steps inside while dragging Robin behind him. "I found Robin attempting to flirt with the princess, _again_."

"You say that like it's a crime! Geeze, overprotective much…" Robin huffs. "From the way you reacted Freddy, you'd think I flipped her dress or something."

Chrom doesn't like that Robin even _mentioned_ that. "Would it kill you to stop hitting on my sister?"

"Fine… how about Emm?"

"Make that sisters, _plural_."

"You're no fun."

"And you're a nuisance."

"Ah, but I'm a _skilled_ nuisance."

"Unfortunately." Chrom grumbles under his breath. "Just… go bother Tharja instead or something. Stop going after Lissa."

"But I can do _both_. Why limit myself to one?" Robin quips.

"Because I'll run you through if you continue to bother the princess." Frederick growls.

"No you won't."

The knight's eye twitches. It's not often he gets called out like that. What makes it worse is that Robin is totally right. The knight grumbles something under his breath about mercenaries and pulls back his lance.

"But… if you're so _shook up_ about this… I can lay off." Robin shrugs. "I'm a perv, not an asshole. I kept flirting with her because it was funny. If you're _genuinely_ annoyed, I'll stop."

Chrom sighs in relief. "Please do."

"Fine…" Robin groans dramatically. "Now, unless there was something else you wanted, I'm off to bug Tharja."

"Don't get turned into a newt."

"Pff… it wouldn't be a newt. A slug maybe, or a snail. Some sort of insect." Robin jokes. "Besides, she wouldn't. She's too nice."

"Nice?"

"Yep. She's not even particularly good at hiding it." The mercenary chuckles. "You'll need more than a surly front to fool me."

Chrom decides he really doesn't want to get involved. Let the weirdos be weirdos, as long as it doesn't affect anyone else. "Right… good luck."

"I don't need luck. I have _skill_ … in ladykilling."

"Sure you do. Now _please_ leave."

###

"Having fun?" Tharja asks dryly.

"Indeed." Robin replies with a smirk. "You?"

"Less so."

"I'm not hearing a _no_ though."

"No comment."

Neither of them expected to be back in Plegia so quickly; or at least, not without the other Shepherds at their backs. However, they were well suited for infiltration, being familiar with the country and the customs, so here they are in a side-alley nearing midnight waiting for Gaius to arrive, and trying to keep guards off their case with a simple but effective deception.

"Another guard coming." Robin whispers as he hears footsteps. "Ready?"

"As I'll ever be." Tharja grumbles. "Need you be so handsy?"

"Sorry, needs to be convincing." The mercenary apologizes. He means that sincerely. As much as he leers, and otherwise enjoys this situation, he doesn't enjoy making his _friends_ too uncomfortable, and for all her (only rarely legitimate) hostility he counts Tharja among that number.

The deception is simple, but effective. People tend to be embarrassed about public displays of affection, so looking like a pair of lovers getting intimate in a back-alley makes sure any given guard never looks their way more than once.

Robin likes this plan. Tharja… less so. She _did_ agree to it though. There were other plans she could have chosen. Heck, Robin suggested this plan as a _joke_ , he didn't think they'd actually go with it.

"You think your dark mage attire would make them suspicious." Robin whispers with a smirk. "Ahh, the power of psychology… they don't even think twice."

"People are fools." The mage sneers.

"Usually that would be directed at me." Robin notes. He slips his arms around Tharja and lifts her slightly so he's pinning her against the wall. The mage reluctantly plays along and wraps her legs around his waist and tilting her head up to receive a kiss.

"I never said it wasn't."

"Well… fair enough."

Robin leans down and kisses her as the guard rounds the corner. The man raises his lantern, squints, his eyes widen, and then he politely turns his head and walks away. The two of them wait a moment, making sure he's out of earshot, before speaking.

"Gaius is taking his sweet time." Robin sighs as he puts Tharja back on the ground.

"Maybe he's watching. He probably thinks this is funny." Tharja grumbles, and fixes her attire.

"Well yeah, it _is_ funny, but I just got here." Gaius chuckles. He drops from the roof a moment later. "Having fun you two?"

"Fun as a relative term… still no." Tharja growls. "What did you learn?"

"The grimleal are messed up."

"No shit?"

"I also found some of their plans. Mostly troop movements, but it also seems like they have something important on them. I found a note that says they're moving _something_ to the bones of Grima with a full platoon of guards tomorrow. The note was intentionally vague I think. It didn't specify what it was."

"Hmm…" Robin frowns. "Do we have time to try and get it?"

"Doubt it. We need to get the troop movements back to Chrom." Gaius reminds him. "What did you two find, by the way?"

"Plegia's been trying to hire a lot of mercs." Robin offers. "But a lot of mercs are also refusing to take those contracts, because it seems mercs are just being used as cannon fodder."

"Conscription is at an all time high, unsurprisingly." Tharja adds with a sneer. "But a lot of people don't seem to care. They see the war as justified revenge against Ylisse, and people who avoid conscription are actually getting hate. They're not fond of mercenaries either, precisely because they're refusing to take contracts."

"The Plegian government has tried to _conscript_ mercenaries, so a lot of them have either fled to Ferox or taken to bandit life and have started harassing army supply trains." Robin chuckles. "The government pissed off the wrong crowd…"

"Right, so with that out of the way, should we move to the next objective?" Gaius whispers.

"Sure." Robin shrugs. "Thar?"

"About time." She huffs. The woman takes an elfire tome out of her bag with something resembling _glee_ on her face. "I've always wanted to do this…"

The reason they met in this alleyway rather than some inn room was simply for the sake of speed. They're actually right near an area full of warehouses. _Wooden_ warehouses. Sure, those warehouses are guarded, but an elfire tome is _conveniently_ long range.

"Right, let's get to the roof." Robin murmurs. "Gaius?"

"On it." The man quickly scampers up the wall, and throws a rope down to the other two. They climb up one at a time, and balance precariously on the sloped roof.

"Don't let me fall." Tharja warns. She rolls her eyes when Robin grabs her waist, but it is more or less what she asked for. She focuses on channeling her tome and then throws one fireball, then two, then three, at a large wooden building a few blocks away, just barely illuminated by the moon.

She can only do three fireballs before they start hearing the shouts and footsteps of guards. The three Shepherds slide down the rope (well, Gaius jumps, the other two take the rope). Tharja manages two more elfires at a different warehouse as they start running down the street before she has to pocket the tome so she can start running full sprint.

They easily lose the guards. Plegia's streets have so many twists and turns and small alleyways that it's easy enough for the guards to take the wrong path just once and totally miss them.

* * *

 **This was a weird chapter to write. Robin feels very… normal. I mean, I tried to play to his quirks, but I guess they ended up being more minor than expected.**

* * *

 **bauers374** **:** Dunno. I didn't actually have anything in mind for that. It just sounded better when Robin was bragging to say "Robin D Tealeaf!" than just "Robin Tealeaf!"

Junk Dealer? Sure.

 **The Restless Drifter** **:** I'll note it down. That's going to be a rather problematic for a story like Awakening's though.

 **Darkness is complete** **:** Geokinetic? Sure. You've already suggested that before if I remember correctly.

 **TwilightSymphonycat** **:** To each their own. This collection isn't trying to _accurately_ represent Robin though. There's nothing accurate about any of this.

 **B1ackAshes** **:** She was so much fun to write, and quite a bit different from what I'm used to too.

 **LoveGlutton** **:** :D

 **Half-beastdragonsoul2013** **:** It's not. Robin doesn't have a surname in-game that we know of. I made that up. Scottish? Sure I guess.

 **G** **:** Noted.

 **RoastedButter** **:** No, I haven't, and I won't do so just for the sake of Three Houses. It's on the list, and I'll do it when I feel like it.

 **Guest** **:** Oh hey, thanks. Indeed, Robin was inspired by Nosk from Hollow Knight. Part 2 of anything won't be found in _The Robin Variable_ , you might find some of those in _Varied Awakenings_ (from what I remember I've given a part 2 to Succubus Robin… actually, that's it at the moment. Been focused on new ideas, but if you have something specific you want I might be able to manage it).

 **Cyberchao X** **:** Never heard of that word until just now.

 **Apex85 : **Glad you're enjoying some of the chapters.


	64. Crazy Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **Minor: Dark Flier, Immortal, Boxer (Pugilist), Exploitive, Swordmaster, Angry Cinnamon Roll, Tripping, Perpetual Cheer, Chef, Blacksmith, Pegasus Knight, Teacher, Librarian, Masochist, Literal-Minded, Authoritative, Wyvern Rider, Phobia, Thicc, Tsundere, Damsel in Distress, Gangrel's Child, Wyvern Rider, Child, Communist, Bomber, Bear Cavalry, Flying, ADHD, Super Strength, Patriotic, Martial Artist, Scottish, Sassy, One Liner, Seamstress, Shephard, Speedy, Cool, Shy, Bookworm, Sweet, Kung Fu, Buff, Lazy, Wingless Flight, Blunt, Paranoid, Elf, Dwarf, Scottish.**

 **Standard: Elemental, Deaf, Nurse/Medic, Valmese Tactician, Medusa, Genderfluid, Gift from Validar + evil to good, Mimic, Emotionless, Crippling Overspecialization (Idiot Savant), Coward, ESP, POW, PTSD, Magician, Mute, Handicapped, Secret Helper, Morpher, Dreamwalker, Twins, Regenerating, Animal Whisperer, Naga/Tiki Assistant, Deadly Touch, Mind Reader, Doppelganger, Arachne, D &D magic, Umbramancer, Dominatrix, Songstress, Kinky, Matchmaker, Androphobic, Illusionist, Attraction Aura, Ring Maker, Therapist, Teleporting, Crippled, Puppet, Broken, Hallucination, Depressed, Slave, Love Curse, Detective, Geokinetic, Trauma, Siren, Changeling.**

 **Unlikely: Chrom's child, Minotaur, Paladin, Werewolf, Assassin, Future Soldier, Bounty Hunter, Weather control, Kleptomaniac, Druid, Steampunk, Shadow Familiar, Magic Augmentation, Lucky, Exile, Piper (Charmer), Gladiator, Witch Doctor, Centaur, Drunk, Demon, Punk, Harpy, Revenant, Luck Manipulation, Demon Summoner, Megalomaniac, Kitsune, King of Plegia, Mood Ring, Reverse Aging, Hammerspace, Prostitute, Demon Hunter, Cyborg, Deadlord, Rebellion, Einherjar, Trap, Yandere, Living Weapon, Size Shifter, Queen of Plegia, Gluttonous, Stretchy, Alchemist, Protoss, Spirit Manipulation, Invisible, Plegian Honor Guard, Mecha, Kryptonian, Creator, Orc, Memory Stealing Respawn, Racer, Khan, Misfortune, Vampire Hunter, Imaginary Actualization, Death, Resurrection, Force, Merchant, Background Music, Variable, Civilian, Natural Disaster, Mental Noise Projection, Hidden OP, Summoner, Cyclops, Teleporter, Cryokinetic, Genie, Judge, Intangibility, Fortune Teller, Future Vision, Serial Killer, Magic Fixit, Drakengard Restoration, Ying-Yang, Childhood Friend, Cyberpunk, Chrom's Mother, Obsessed, Berserker, Phase Shift, Gravity Manipulation, Hallucinating, Bladesoul, Zombie, Double Entendre, Shared Body/Two Souls, Cannibal, Singer, Violent, Insane, Waterbender, Casanova, Cupid, Undertaker, Master Thief, Guard, Faceless, Shadow, Age Control, Cradle Snatcher, Emo, Singer, Nun, Courier, Haunted Knight Armor, Egyptian, Sentient Object, Shit Lord, Court Wizard, Naga's sibling, Mad Queen, Artist, Predator, Cheshire Cat, Radio Host, Chimera, Wendigo, Witch, Symbiote, Hivemind, Hammerspace, Anna, Mother Nature, Psychopath, Stripper, Painting, Grima Parts, Knightmare, Super, Swimsuit, Bunny Outfit, One Punch, Idol, Chef, Rampage, Housewife, Determination, Vessel of Naga, Instant Expert, Time Travel, Hermit, Alternate Dimension 'Twin', Legendary, Resistance, Memory Regain, Umbra Witch, Naga, Aquatic, Hexblade Warlock, Dragon, Demon of Choice, Demon of Temptation, Affliction, Good Samaritan, Gallant, Rosannite Tactician, Leeroy, Dungeon, Apparition, Unwilling, Wildlife Commander, Consistent Kidnapee, Grenadier, Magic Creature, Alternating Mind Control, Sothis in the Mind, Exalt, Unicorn, Pegasus, Alicorn, Star Lord, Slenderman, Bird Laguz, Junk Dealer, Gate Guardian, Shaman, Ghostbuster, Exorcist, King, Soldier, Bird Wings, Failed Vessel.**

 **Other: Second Generation replacement, Dimensional Walker, Cycle, Fates.**

 **Crazy Robin, suggested by Guest. I've tried this one so many times before, let's see if I this one gets through. This is not based off any particular mental illness, don't take this seriously. Also, Future Sight Robin, as suggested by 99, sorta. It's more subdued, but there, and she just gets visions in general rather than strictly future sight. Also, apparently I made her a singer, so that's a thing. Songs are a lot less modified than they were in Bard Robin though.**

 **What am I even going to call this chapter? Mad Prophet Robin? I dunno...**

* * *

"Goooood morning Ylisse! It's a lovely day today! Fine weather we're having here! Slightly orange with a chance of Risen; standard fare! You might say the day looks like a rooster eating a potato! Dickish and starchy!" Robin shouts, magnifying her voice with magic so everyone in the vicinity of the castle can probably hear it.

"She's at it again Chrom…"

"I know, I know. I'll get her down."

"And now, to wake the rest of you who insist on overcomatizing, a song!" The tactician cries out with a grin on her face. her long, wispy, knotted white hair has fallen in her face, making it look like a giant cobweb is covering it. She's also standing on the castle roof with each gust of wind looking like it will send her tumbling off.

That doesn't stop her in the slightest though.

They say... Ylisse is moving their power to Sandvale today!

Is that true? The fools lining up for their _doom_ as my armies pursue.

I'm perplexed… are they going to set up shop there and then move on the capital?

If so, what next? And what makes them think they'd survive trying to take me on?

#

(Henry, Henry! Henry...)

#

Henry? I know him, that can't be,

He's that crazy mage who came to me,

All those months ago, he's one of mine,

If he's turned then I'll skin him alive!

#

Kingdoms rise, cities fall; next to me, well, they all look small…

All alone, watch them run, I will tear them into tiny pieces, oh Grima this will be fun!

La-da-da- _da_ -dah, la-da-da-da-da, la-de-da-da-die-da!

Ha ha ha ha… Ylissians... good _luck_!

Robin bursts into hysterics and doubles over from maniacal laughter. Chrom has to virtually carry her off the roof, because she can't stop giggling long enough to keep her balance.

"Did you _heeeeear_?" Robin asks eventually in a sing-song voice. She giggles and snorts, then adds: " _Us fools lining up for our doom_ ~! Henry Chrom, _Henry_! Ahahahahahaha!"

"Who's Henry?" The prince asks as he lowers the laughing girl into a chair.

"The boy of crows and kills and chaos! He _laughs_ Chrom! He- ha-hahahahaha!" Robin bursts into another giggle fit. "We _need_ him Chrom! If we're _going to set up shop there and then move on the capital_ ~!"

Chrom's brow furrows. Robin, despite her… _insanity…_ has never been wrong thus far. In the past he might have ignored her ramblings, but the Shepherds learned the hard way via several nasty wounds and scars that Robin's ramblings always foreshadow something. If she says they need a mage called Henry, then they damn well better find him. "Where do we find this Henry?"

"Plegia!"

"Plegia's a big place Robin."

"Nooooo, this castle is big, Plegia is smaaaaaall." Robin giggles. "It's that small place beyond the hills! Teeny tiny! No more than just a castle! Now Grimleal, _that's_ a big place!"

"The Grimleal are a cult Robin, not a place."

"They're a _biiiiig_ place! Bigger than Plegia! Plegia is small." Robin rambles, apparently ignoring him now. "Small, small, small! A puppet king, sightless generals, a million starving people, so small…"

Robin tends to unnerve people a lot. This is exactly why. "If you say so."

"I don't, the world does! I just repeat what I'm told!" The girl says. Her compulsive giggling seems to have finally died down. She's still wearing a mad grin on her face, and her red eyes dart erratically around the room, only occasionally settling on Chrom and meeting his own eyes.

"Right." Chrom isn't in the mood to argue this. It would be a fruitless battle anyhow. " _I guess we need to search for someone called Henry then…_ "

###

Robin has a startlingly large array of talents. It's rare that they surface though. It's usually during one of her bouts of insanity that she'll suddenly display an aptitude for something she never bothered to show them before.

Today, apparently, it's ballroom dancing. In the desert. When they're supposed to be training. Somehow she managed to get a grip on Lon'qu, who is being dragged around by the girl. It's funny actually. Robin doesn't look very strong at all, she's thin and waifish, but Lon'qu can't seem to break her grip. She's singing again too, but the song is _very_ unfitting for the dance.

"I want to hide the truth, I want to shelter you~" Robin sings in a low, mournful voice. She spins, then dips Lon'qu low to the ground. Apparently Robin is taking the traditionally male role in the dance. "But with the beast inside, there's nowhere we can hide… no matter what we breed, we still are made of greed…"

Lon'qu looks _quite_ uncomfortable at all this. He keeps trying to break free of Robin's grasp, but the girl has a vice grip on his hand and the back of his shirt.

"Hmm…" Robin hums, stopping her song. "This isn't getting through to you, is it?"

"Speak for yourself. I don't see how it's not getting through to you that _I don't care what you have to say_." Lon'qu snaps. "Release me woman!"

"Another way…" The woman hums as she pulls the man out of the dip, and then does another twirl with a lift. "The warrior's way. Always another path… an unwanted one…? Were you always a warrior?"

"That is none of your business." The man replies coldly.

"Hmm… a dance…" Robin whispers. "A warrior now…"

She detaches suddenly from the man, causing him to stumble. A moment later she throws a training sword at him. Lon'qu just barely catches it before it smacks him in the face. "What makes you think I'll spar with you?" He grows as he watches her grab another training blade.

"Everything begins with the stance." Robin says in a melodic voice; she's not listening to him and raises her sword. "Remember, they do it for him… and they'd do it again. You do it for her, and that's to say, she did it for him..."

The girl moves methodically, which is quite unlike her. Her strikes are simple, easily deflected. It's barely a spar. She's not even putting force behind her attacks.

"Keep your stance wide, keep your body lowered. As you're moving forward balance is the key~!"

Robin starts pushing forwards, forcing Lon'qu to move back or risk their blades getting tangled. Her red eyes, normally erratic and wild, are focused squarely on his.

"Right foot, left foot. Now go even faster~" She sings. "As you're moving backwards, _keep your eyes on me_."

Lon'qu doesn't know why she's bothering to tell him this. He _knows_ this. It's the basics of swordplay. Novice advice.

There's a dozen seconds where Robin doesn't sing anything new. She hums a tune instead, still keeping her gaze locked with his. Her attacks are picking up speed, power, and complexity.

Lon'qu's foot hits a rock amongst the sand, and his eyes flick to the ground for just a second to keep his balance.

"Concentrate! Don't you want to live!?" Robin barks. "Right foot, left foot… she put her whole body into it! Everything she had, everything she was, everything she could possibly give~!"

Lon'que narrows his eyes. Her song was instructional a moment ago. Now she seems to be singing about someone else entirely. The madwoman… it was foolish to expect sense out of her to even a minor extent.

"On the battlefield, everything was chaos. She only has the way she felt, no strategy, but a sword… a dream of a life to have, _together_ , after the war~!" Robin sings loudly, powerfully. Her voice rings clear and true. "And then to do it for him, even if she couldn't win… to do it for him, that is to say, she'll do it for you…"

Something clenches in the man's stomach. She can't possibly be singing about what he thinks she's singing about. His grip tightens on his training weapon, and he starts properly fighting back rather than just defending himself. He wants her to _stop_.

"Deep down, she knew, she wasn't built for fighting. But it didn't mean she wasn't prepared to try!" Robin sings. Her movements have improved. She slips under a thrust, and whips her own blade at Lon'qu's stomach, and he has to move back to avoid it. "What they don't know… her _real_ advantage… to live for someone, and no real fear to die…"

Lon'qu's composure breaks. He snarls audibly and brings his sword down in a brute-force smash. Robin blocks with her own blade, but the sheer power of the swing shatters both of the weapons. The myrmidon storms off, face red with anger and his eyes reddening with something else. Robin doesn't pursue, and hums the rest of the song to herself under her breath, unphased by the events.

"Hmm…" The woman murmurs after she's done singing. "I kept changing the tense, that could have been better. Should have stuck to just one…"

###

"Robin, I don't think I've ever really asked before, but… who are you?" Chrom asks.

"I'm Robin!"

"I know that. I mean what's your history? I know you're from Plegia, but nothing beyond that."

Robin hums for a moment and does a handstand. Her hair pools in the sand, getting dirty, before she returns to an upright position. "Did I tell you the story?"

"What story?"

"Of the purple hats."

"No…?" Chrom frowns. "How is that relevant?"

"You need to hear it then!" Robin says excitedly. She paces back and forth for a few seconds, does a twirl, then sits on the sand. "It's about hats."

"I guessed as much." As much as Chrom doesn't see the point in this, Robin usually answers questions posed to her. Sometimes in roundabout ways. If she's offering this in response to his question, it's probably her way of answering, or just important somehow, so he'll listen. "Alright, I'll listen."

"Good!" She grins. "So…

Once upon a time, there was a club. There was a lot of rich and powerful people in the club, but the club was open to anyone. The club was great. It was fancy, had drugs, and you could do almost whatever you wanted… provided you followed one rule: you had to wear a purple hat.

A child was born into the club. This child was a special child, they were born for a purpose. That purpose was to wear the _great_ purple hat. It was a huge top hat, purple of course, that massively, hugely, _big_.

There had been others born to wear the great purple hat, but their heads were never the right size. They had all the other necessary qualities, like an exactly two-inch long middle finger, but their heads simply couldn't hold up the hat. They became powerful figures in the club, but were not able to wear the great purple hat.

The great purple hat was actually a crown. A crown for they who would lead the club. That fated person who could wear the hat, and had all other necessary qualities, would rule the club, and even hold power over things _outside_ the club, because the hat was strong, it was _powerful_.

The child knew this. They knew their purpose. They knew what the hat was for, and what it symbolized. The child also had purple hair, so everyone in the club was sure, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that they were the one who would be able to wear the hat. None of the other special children had purple hair.

The hat is their purpose. The child, eventually an adult, knows that wearing the hat will feel _right_. It will feel like their life is complete.

So, knowing all of this about the hat, their purpose, and knowing the workings of the club from growing up there. The adult makes a choice. With one of the club's priceless trophies in hand, the adult walks out of the club one day. They don't look behind them, and walk out into the city. The club tries to find them, but they are good at remaining hidden. They are smart, they are quick, and they are ruthless. They deal with all the club members that try to find them easily.

The adult even joins the city guard. Sometimes they investigate the club that they grew up in, stopping some of their wrongdoings. They like the guards. Maybe they won't spend their life as part of them, but that's fine.

What they know above all else, though, is that they will never willingly go back to the club. So they work, and talk, and learn, and play… but the club is not gone. The adult's head will still fit the hat. That is why the club still tries to find them. The hat does not care about what the adult has done. It just cares about what the adults _is_ , physically. It's only the size of the head it ever really needed.

The adult knows this too, so they work harder, and that's where the story stops. The club is not gone, the great purple hat is still waiting, and the adult is still working, playing, talking, _avoiding_ …"

The smile that Robin gives Chrom doesn't reach her eyes. She stands up and bows, miming a sweep of a hat off her head as she does so, then walks out of the tent.

###

"Robin…" Chrom sighs.

"Yes?"

"You do know you have your own tent, right?"

"But there's sand on the ground."

"So is mine."

"But the sand is less purple here."

"Sand isn't purple."

" _Spiritually_ purple." She emphasises, as if that explains anything.

"Right…"

"There are also fewer tornadoes."

"Tornadoes won't fit in a _tent_ , Robin."

"When they're really small they will."

Chrom sighs. He should quit while he still has his sanity. There's no arguing with Robin.

"Besides, your tent is warm, mine is cold."

"It's almost _exactly_ the same as yours." Chrom says impulsively. He shakes his head at himself. He needs to stop enabling her nonsense.

"Warm warm~!" Robin says in a singsong voice. Her eyes roam the tent as her head lolls to the side limply. "Big and cozy; a volcano! My tent is an igloo. Gloooooo~!"

She giggles and falls on her back from where she was sitting on the sand. She repeats that last sound over and over, and giggles more and more each time.

Chrom sighs. At this point, Robin might as well not have a tent at all. She never uses it. Instead she stays with him in his tent all the time. "Have you managed to draft up plans for tomorrow? We can't affoard to be reckless tomorrow because you haven't-"

"I have! Oh, how I have drawn and written! Scribbled my heart onto parchment! I've felled the roaring wyvern with a quill, ink, and sweat. The quill is mightier they cry, and hold me up as their champion!" Robin recounts, as if reciting a poem.

Chrom can't be bothered to decipher Robin's words at the moment. As long as she's done her job, that's fine with him.

###

Chrom can tell Robin is going to start singing well before it happens. Her erratic, sharp movements start to become smooth and flow into each other, and her wild smile molds into smug confidence. Her weapon, a long chain with giant caltrops on either end, whips around her in an impressive display of skill and artsmanship.

The song, however, doesn't end up sounding like Chrom expected. Now granted, Robin seems to invent a new style of song every two days, but it never stops surprising the prince. You think she'd run out of styles eventually. It makes him wonder what they'd sound like with music.

Wyverns roar overhead of the fortress, and giant bones dominate the background. Emmeryn looks small standing atop the rocky outcropping. It should be chaos, but as Robin starts singing, Chrom finds himself filled with confidence, conviction, _certainty_. There's no way they can fail. The song may be way too cheery and lighthearted for the situation, but Chrom will take it over the screaming and the sound of explosions.

What goes up must come down

Yet my feet don't touch the ground

See the world spinning upside down

A mighty crash without a sound!

#

I can feel your every rage

Step aside I'll smash this cage.

Breaking through your manic rage!

Like a beam of light, my eyes on you!

#

Watch me drive the night away

Watch me save the day!

Feel like my strongest yet

And I'm heading your way!

Robin hums a few unintelligible words here, needing to focus to take down a particularly troublesome wyvern rider. The Shepherds have pushed up further and faster than Chrom expected them to, and faster than planned. Looking up, Chrom can see the fury in Gangrel's voice as he barks orders, and the narrowing of Aversa's eyes as they watch Robin dance her way across the battlefield wreaking havoc with her chains.

Bind you, confine you

Defying your reign!

We are heroes…

Setting the stage

For a heroes parade!

#

I won't even hesitate

A second left to alter fate

You try to strike, but a bit too late

You got too hooked by your own bait!

Robin dashes at the fortress walls and leaps up high. Her foot finds friction on the wall, and she manages a vertical wall run for a few precious seconds that allow her to push off again and snag the edge of the top of it, and pull herself onto the parapets. She lashes out, easily downing the archers stationed there, and makes a beeline for Gangrel and Aversa.

The woman is still singing, but she's too far off for Chrom to hear her exact words now. The prince urges the Shepherds onwards into the fortress, and they clear out the ground level as Robin duels Gangrel in the balcony. For her part, Aversa has leapt out of a window and landed on a pegasus waiting nearby. She flies up and away, escaping the tactician's whirling weapon and the battlefield at large.

Robin's song ends when she kicks Gangrel off the balcony and he slams into the stone of the fortress floor. She leaps down after him, but needn't have bothered. The man's legs were broken by the fall, and maybe a rib or two. Robin manages to not suffer anything serious by going into a roll as soon as she lands. Her weapon rattles on the stone as it clatters down beside her.

With Gangrel unable to fight, the battle is effectively over. Emmeryn is easily retrieved from her spot up on the rock, and the Plegian army quickly surrenders after that.

* * *

 **I want to do more with this idea, but introducing romance** _ **now**_ **would feel off, so I'll just stop here. She also ended up being a bit less crazy than intended and just more… cryptic.**

 **Songs used/modified are "35 I Know Her" by The Cantata Pansophical, "Demons" by Imagine Dragons, "Do it for her" a song from the show Steven Universe, and "Sonic Heroes" by Crush 40. I looked up the lyrics for all of these, so if there's a change, it's intentional.**

 **Yes, I am incapable of using mainstream songs. Except Demons. Demons is awesome. My favourite song actually.**

* * *

 **bauers374** **:** I guess? I don't really see it beyond him being a slightly sassy mercenary.

Fine to Vampire Hunter, Ghostbuster, and Exorcist, but the others… no. Shrunken head would barely be a character. Corpse bride would basically just end up being a mix between Risen, Lich, and Banshee, and I have no idea what "of the Corn" would even be.

 **Darkness is complete** **:** Noted.

 **Izunama** **:** Glad you liked it. You'll get a small follow-up when I do more short epilogues, but no _proper_ extra story. Sorry.

 **LoveGlutton** **:** I suppose.

Noted.

 **Gilgamesh King of Mongrels** **:** I always found that character trait irritating, so I rarely use it. Purely my personal preference.

 **Cyberchao X** **:** I mean… technically the "avatar" just means the player character, so by nature of this being a text, they _can't_ be an avatar. Well, I suppose they could be _my_ Avatar, but they're not.

 **B1ackAshes** **:** Really? Thank you. I was worried about this one being underwhelming, so that's nice to hear.

 **Guest** **:** Valentian meaning what? Valentia _is_ Valm, so Valmese?

 **Fantasy Paradise** **:** Have I really never given Robin wings? Lemme see… huh. Unless you count Manakete Robin, I guess I haven't. Alright then. Noted.

 **Guest** **:** I suppose that could work. Hmm… I'll have to think on it.

 **mangopies :** He does deserve more, but I have trouble with him and so tend to hoard all the most fun ideas for F!Robin, who I feel much more comfortable with. You think anti-heroism fits M!Robin more? I suppose I can understand why, seeing as how almost all the villainous/not nice Robins have been male so far. Thanks for reading!


	65. Genderfluid Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **Minor: Dark Flier, Immortal, Boxer (Pugilist), Exploitive, Swordmaster, Angry Cinnamon Roll, Tripping, Perpetual Cheer, Chef, Blacksmith, Pegasus Knight, Teacher, Librarian, Masochist, Literal-Minded, Authoritative, Wyvern Rider, Phobia, Thicc, Tsundere, Damsel in Distress, Gangrel's Child, Wyvern Rider, Child, Communist, Bomber, Bear Cavalry, Flying, ADHD, Super Strength, Patriotic, Martial Artist, Scottish, Sassy, One Liner, Seamstress, Shephard, Speedy, Cool, Shy, Bookworm, Sweet, Kung Fu, Buff, Lazy, Wingless Flight, Blunt, Paranoid, Elf, Dwarf, Scottish, Melancholic, Punny.**

 **Standard: Elemental, Deaf, Nurse/Medic, Valmese Tactician, Medusa, Genderfluid, Gift from Validar + evil to good, Mimic, Emotionless, Crippling Overspecialization (Idiot Savant), Coward, ESP, POW, PTSD, Magician, Mute, Handicapped, Secret Helper, Morpher, Dreamwalker, Twins, Regenerating, Animal Whisperer, Naga/Tiki Assistant, Deadly Touch, Mind Reader, Doppelganger, Arachne, D &D magic, Umbramancer, Dominatrix, Songstress, Kinky, Matchmaker, Androphobic, Illusionist, Attraction Aura, Ring Maker, Therapist, Teleporting, Crippled, Puppet, Broken, Hallucination, Depressed, Slave, Love Curse, Detective, Geokinetic, Trauma, Siren, Changeling.**

 **Unlikely: Chrom's child, Minotaur, Paladin, Werewolf, Assassin, Future Soldier, Bounty Hunter, Weather control, Kleptomaniac, Druid, Steampunk, Shadow Familiar, Magic Augmentation, Lucky, Exile, Piper (Charmer), Gladiator, Witch Doctor, Centaur, Drunk, Demon, Punk, Harpy, Revenant, Luck Manipulation, Demon Summoner, Megalomaniac, Kitsune, King of Plegia, Mood Ring, Reverse Aging, Hammerspace, Prostitute, Demon Hunter, Cyborg, Deadlord, Rebellion, Einherjar, Trap, Yandere, Living Weapon, Size Shifter, Queen of Plegia, Gluttonous, Stretchy, Alchemist, Protoss, Spirit Manipulation, Invisible, Plegian Honor Guard, Mecha, Kryptonian, Creator, Orc, Memory Stealing Respawn, Racer, Khan, Misfortune, Vampire Hunter, Imaginary Actualization, Death, Resurrection, Force, Merchant, Background Music, Variable, Civilian, Natural Disaster, Mental Noise Projection, Hidden OP, Summoner, Cyclops, Teleporter, Cryokinetic, Genie, Judge, Intangibility, Fortune Teller, Serial Killer, Magic Fixit, Drakengard Restoration, Ying-Yang, Childhood Friend, Cyberpunk, Chrom's Mother, Obsessed, Berserker, Phase Shift, Gravity Manipulation, Hallucinating, Bladesoul, Zombie, Double Entendre, Shared Body/Two Souls, Cannibal, Violent, Insane, Waterbender, Casanova, Cupid, Undertaker, Master Thief, Guard, Faceless, Shadow, Age Control, Cradle Snatcher, Emo, Nun, Courier, Haunted Knight Armor, Egyptian, Sentient Object, Shit Lord, Court Wizard, Naga's sibling, Mad Queen, Artist, Predator, Cheshire Cat, Radio Host, Chimera, Wendigo, Witch, Symbiote, Hivemind, Hammerspace, Anna, Mother Nature, Psychopath, Stripper, Painting, Grima Parts, Knightmare, Super, Swimsuit, Bunny Outfit, One Punch, Idol, Chef, Rampage, Housewife, Determination, Vessel of Naga, Instant Expert, Time Travel, Hermit, Alternate Dimension 'Twin', Legendary, Resistance, Memory Regain, Umbra Witch, Naga, Aquatic, Hexblade Warlock, Dragon, Demon of Choice, Demon of Temptation, Affliction, Good Samaritan, Gallant, Rosannite Tactician, Leeroy, Dungeon, Apparition, Unwilling, Wildlife Commander, Consistent Kidnapee, Grenadier, Magic Creature, Alternating Mind Control, Sothis in the Mind, Exalt, Unicorn, Pegasus, Alicorn, Star Lord, Slenderman, Bird Laguz, Junk Dealer, Gate Guardian, Shaman, Ghostbuster, Exorcist, King, Soldier, Bird Wings, Failed Vessel, Of the Corn, Valentian, Harem.**

 **Other: Second Generation replacement, Dimensional Walker, Cycle, Fates.**

 **Genderfluid as suggested by Reader and Shakuras, but** _ **literally**_ **instead of what it usually refers to. That's this chapter.**

* * *

"I fucking hate those dastards…"

"You had fun." Chrom chuckles. "Don't sound too enthusiastic there Robin."

"Oh, fun, is that what it's called now?" They sneer. "Gods, they're either simpering fools or domineering assholes. I either have a hard time getting a straight answer because they're all suckups, or I have to be all: 'oh, _thank you_ Duke Albinoth! Can I suck your dick too?' Naga above that fucker can just crawl into a hold and _die_!"

"Which one was it today? Simper or smug?"

"The latter, as you can see." They gesture to their body: somewhat short, massive head of white hair, pronounced hips and bust, and plump lips alongside white skin. "I just can't win! If I'm a man they simper, and if I'm a lady they talk over me! How do you deal with these morons!?"

"Usually I don't have to." Chrom grins. "I usually only talk to them when holding council, and when that happens I can usually count on Lord and Lady Themisia to help."

"Well I'm not so lucky." Robin groans. "Can't I just overrule and ignore them? I'm Grand Tactician right?"

"Well you _can_ , but that's also totally ruining the system we have in place. Overruling is supposed to be a drastic measure." Chrom reminds them. "To prevent abuses of power."

"Fine…" They mutter. Robin's eyes narrow. "You owe me for putting up with them."

"I'll by you the new expansion of War of Worlds."

"Deal." They say instantly. "Don't skimp! Get it from Anna! Most other dealers just sell knockoffs."

Chrom can feel his wallet weeping already, but it's a price he'll happily pay. "Sure, sure. Just keep me alive long enough to order it."

"And then I kill you after?" Robin jokes. "Once I've gotten what I want?"

"If you wish." Chrom shrugs. "Though some people might object. Frederick for one."

"Well, I don't want to deal with _more_ of his fitness hours, so I guess I better keep you alive." Robin sighs.

"Oh thank you, how _generous_." The prince chuckles.

"I know I am." Robin grins. "Now if you'll excuse me, I promised Virion a few games earlier, so I'm gonna change and get going."

"Don't let me stop you."

By "change" Robin doesn't mean change clothes. They mean change sex. It takes only a minute… and it can look rather disturbing to someone who doesn't know what's going on. Chrom knows it scared him the first time he saw it. He thought Robin was abusing themself.

Robin reaches up to their jaw, and sharply pulls it one side, then the other. Each move is punctuated by a loud, sickening crack. They ball their hands into fists and hit their hips, knocking them into a less round shape. The shove their breasts in, _literally_ , then grab one shoulder at a time and forcefully push them out and up. A slew of minor touches come next: pushing in their lips so that they're less pronounced, adjustments to the cheekbones, eyeridge, and nose, and a bit of widening to the ribs to eliminate the hourglass shape.

Chrom averts his eyes as Robin reaches down to their groin. That's one adjustment he doesn't care to see or think about.

"There we- oops." Robin promptly jabs a few fingers into their throat. When they speak again, their voice has dropped to a deeper, distinctly male tone. "Right. There we go. I'm off."

"Good luck."

###

"Come now Sir Robin, surely you must have time for tea." The lady coos.

Robin's suave smile never falters even though Chrom knows they must be seething. He has to give it to them, they're a great actor. Their eyes meet across the room, and Chrom offers them an amused grin. "I'm sorry Milady." Robin says. "But I really must be going. I can't keep the prince waiting."

Robin walks in Chrom's direction, and the prince rolls his eyes. They have nothing planned whatsoever. Robin is just using him as an excuse to escape. Still, the prince puts on a serious expression so as to lend the tactician's claim some semblance of credibility, and the noblewoman who was talking to him reluctantly finds someone else to occupy herself with.

"How rude of you to abandon her. I think you were really hitting it off."

"Fuck you." Robin grumbles under his breath. "How much longer do I have to do this? Can I leave yet?"

Chrom chuckles and throws an arm over the tactician's shoulder. "Not yet. You could switch out for your 'sister' if you want though."

Surprisingly, few people (outside the Shepherds) have figured out that Robin's two forms are actually the same person, and they few that have think Robin just changes their appearance through padding and subtle clothes changes rather than an actual physical change.

"If anything, I think that would be worse." Robin groans. "At least people avoid me if I scowl when I'm male. If I'm female, people don't give a shit."

"Oh." Chrom winces. He actually remembers Lissa and Maribelle complaining about things like that before. "Right, sorry."

"Though… if _you'll_ stay near me, maybe you can scare off any so-called suitors." Robin suggests.

Chrom doesn't know if that's a joke or not. "I mean… if you want."

The tactician blinks. "Really?"

"Sure." The prince shrugs. "Will that actually _work_ though?"

"It should. No one man wants to deal with a woman that's already taken." Robin shrugs.

Chrom raises an eyebrow. "I think I'm offended."

"Present comp… well, _you_ excluded." Robin says while sneering at the rest of the room. "I can't say the same for the rest of these fuckers."

"Language. We're in public." The prince chuckles.

"Yeah yeah." They grunt. "Just give me a minute to find somewhere private so I can switch. I think I see another duchess eyeing me…"

"Oh, the horror."

"Hey, you're the one who was complaining about _this exact thing_ last week." Robin huffs.

"I know. It's just funny to see it happen to someone else."

Robin gives him the middle finger as they walk away. Chrom just smiles, amused. If Robin is being vulgar, then they're comfortable. That's all he can ask for.

###

"Hello Milord, would you like to join me for a game of chess?"

"Uh, hi Robin." Chrom blinks at his pleasantly smiling tactician. This seems… off. "Sure. I'm free at the moment. Your room or mine?"

"Mine; if you don't mind, of course." The tactician says softly, still wearing a sweet smile.

Chrom eyes them warily. What's going on? Robin never acts like this, not that Chrom can remember anyways. "Right. Lead on."

The prince follows them back to their room. As the two of them are walking, Chrom notices more things that make him suspicious. Robin is walking around as a girl for one, which they usually avoid when on their own in the castle because the various lords don't seem to understand the word "no", and they have their top buttons undone showing cleavage, which they _never_ do unless they're actively trying to manipulate-

Chrom's eyes narrow. Is he being manipulated? Is that what's going on? Or maybe something is wrong and this is Robin's way of subtly alerting him? The prince start glancing around as subtly as he can, looking for someone who might be following them. If there's something wrong, there must be a reason Robin can't tell him outright…

The prince doesn't spot anything on the way to Robin's room, so his suspicion doesn't abate. He glances down the hallway as he closes the door, and looks through the window as Robin takes out the chess set. Robin hasn't let down their smile and hasn't buttoned back up, so something's still up. Maybe this _is_ supposed to be manipulation? But for what?

"Black or white?"

Chrom usually chooses white. On the odd chance that something _is_ wrong though, he wants to try and send a signal. "Black."

Robin turns around the board so that the black pieces are on Chrom's side. "Changing things up?"

"You could say that."

The tactician tilts their head to the side. "Should I?"

"I don't know. Should you?"

"I think I will."

"Go ahead then."

"Okay. You're changing things up."

Chrom nods, trying to appear calm. Internally he's frustrated. Was there a clue hidden in that exchange? "I think I will" and "changing things up?", do those mean something? Maybe Robin has a plot they're putting into place? Why can't they say it outright then?

The chess game progresses, and Chrom fares even more poorly than he usually does. Everything Robin taught him about tactics, and chess, has totally left his mind in favor of trying to figure out what in Naga's name Robin is up to.

"You seem to be struggling today." Robin notes. Their smile has been reduced a bit, and they're sitting up a bit straighter. "Something on your mind?"

"You might say that."

"Being vague again, are we?" Their smile falls further.

Chrom doesn't know what to say. "Yes?"

"Why?"

Chrom throws his hands up in exasperation. "Because you are!"

"What?!" Robin's facade totally goes away, and a scowl crosses their face. "I am _not_!"

"Then why were you acting strange?"

"Stran- I was _flirting_!"

"What!?"

"Why do you sound so surprised!?" Robin snaps. "I _am_ capable of that, jackass!"

"Ah, there we go. You're back." Chrom sighs. This statement seems to make Robin _more_ angry.

"What? Do you just associate me with random swearing?" The tactician hisses. "Is that it?"

"Kinda." The prince nods.

"You-! You-!" Robin stands up, fists clenched.

"Let me finish." Chrom soothes. "I say that because you always seem to swear around me, and because you always seem to be the most… _yourself_ when you're vulgar. The way you were acting like today seemed like the way you act around councilmen when you're trying to get something out of them."

"Ah… aha." Robin sits down heavily. They drop their face into their hands. "Ugh…"

"Something on your mind?" Chrom parrots back Robin's own question from earlier.

"Chrom." Robin says. They take a deep breath. "You're a moron."

"Uh-huh."

"But so am I."

"Okay, I can get on board with this now."

Robin snorts. Chrom's joke has the desired effect of lightening the mood though. "Of course you'd say that. Ah, Naga. I should have known better than to try and be subtle with _you_."

"Well to be fair I _did_ notice, I just didn't get what you were doing because it seemed out of character." Chrom says defensively. "And besides, I didn't think romance was a thing you _did_ … at all."

"And why would you think that?" Robin huffs.

"Because you constantly complain about anyone who tries to have tea with you."

"Well-"

"And that time you punched a nobleman in the face for giving you flowers."

"That was Albinioth-"

"Or that time you made that that girl cry because of how harshly you rejected her."

"Look, the way she was talking, I thought she was trying to wrangle a favor out of me like any other suitor." Robin mutters sheepishly. "I didn't realize she was genuine until later when Maribelle scolded me."

"Point is, you really don't seem like you do romance, _at all_."

"Well I do." They grumble. "Sorry to shatter your illusion of me. My question is, why didn't _you_ ever see _me_ as a potential partner?"

"Who says I didn't? Who says I don't?" Chrom retorts. "I just never bothered to try anything because… well… you're an amnesiac who's had memories for only a year, and the fact that you didn't look like you were into romance, and my own apprehension about the whole deal because my position as Prince tends to make greedy anyone I interact with..."

"Okay, I get the picture."

Chrom shrugs. "Just didn't seem like a good idea."

"Huh, I figured it was the sex-swapping thing."

"Well, that was certainly off-putting at first." Chrom acknowledges. "But… it really just amounts to a different look. No big deal."

"No big deal, huh? Only with you." Robin says with a shake of their head. "And here I thought I had to cater."

"Well, considering I'm straight, I won't say I'm not partial to your current form in a purely, uh, _base_ way." Chrom admits sheepishly. "But other than that..."

The tactician, thankfully, doesn't seem to take issue with that statement. "Don't worry, I get it. Thanks for the honesty actually."

"I thought you'd get mad over that." The prince says.

"I mean… it's not like you have a _choice_ in your preference." Robin shrugs. "Besides, it's not like you said me being male _sucks_ , just that you think me as a girl is hot."

"I'm fairly sure I didn't put it that way."

"That's basically what you meant though."

"Well… yeah."

"What were we talking about before by the way? What started this?"

"You tried to seduce me I think?"

"Oh yeah!" Robin reaches across the table and punches Chrom in the shoulder. "Fuck you for thinking I can't flirt."

"I never said that."

"Fuck you anyways."

Chrom rolls his eyes. "Whatever you say Robin."

###

The princess covers her eyes instantly. "Eep!"

"Whaaaat?" Robin asks irritably. "What the fuck's wrong?"

"Language." Maribelle tuts.

"Wasn't asking you."

"R-Robin." Lissa squeaks.

"What?" Robin huffs, putting their hands on their hips. "What's the problem already?"

"Y-Y-Y-ou..." Lissa stammers

"For Naga's sake Robin, consider the situation." Maribelle sighs. " _Change_ first if you're going to join us in a bath."

The tactician blinks once, then glances down at their body. Their currently _male_ , naked body. "Ah, right. My bad."

Maribelle tuts. "Honestly Robin. Use some common sense."

Robin gives her the middle finger. The lady sighs while shaking her head.

"Honestly, I don't know what Chrom sees in someone as vulgar as you."

"And I don't get what Lissa sees in someone as annoying as you, but life goes on." Robin responds sardonically. They sigh and start their adjustment, taking no heed to how their companions wince with each sickening crack of their bones. "There, is that better?"

"I'm gonna be sick…" Lissa mumbles.

"Common sense Robin! _Common sense!_ " Maribelle barks, looking like she's about to go on a rant.

Robin just huffs as they slip into the baths. "There's no pleasing you, is there?"

###

"Robin…"

"What?"

"I realize you've decided to reveal your secret, but can you please stop traumatizing the council?"

"It's only traumatic because they're assholes."

"That's not how it works Robin."

"It is because I fucking say so."

"Of course, that's how it works." Chrom says, rolling his eyes. "Thank you for reminding me. I forgot the world bends to your whim."

"And don't you forget it." Robin mutters. "Seriously, what's the problem?"

"A full minute of someone cracking their bones and distorting their body in ways it doesn't look like it's designed to support is the problem." Chrom responds flatly. "The problem isn't that you change, it's that you're _intentionally_ disturbing everyone just for your own amusement."

"Are you telling me they don't deserve it?"

"No. They totally do." Chrom snorts. "But unfortunately, Ylisse's political systems rely on them, so _please_ try to stay on their good sides. For my and Ylisse's sake, if for nothing else."

" _Fine_." Robin huffs. "I'll play nice…"

"Not _too_ nice if you don't want to. You can mess with them. Just not too much. I need them _functional_." Chrom grins. "Until I can do something about it anyways.

"Ahhh, okay." Robin grins. "I won't break the little windup toys… yet."

Chrom snorts and laughs. "Haha, sometimes we're terrible people, aren't we?"

"Just a little." Robin grins. "They deserve it though."

"Fair enough."

"Besides, everyone needs to let out their inner sadist once in a while… in a controlled, not-too-horrible fashion of course."

"Of course."

"Want to join me? I'm sure there's something sufficiently creepy you could pull off?"

Chrom shakes his head with a smile on his face. "Unlike you, I have an image to maintain. I am the prince of a country after all. I'll happily watch when the time comes though."

"Unlike me? Rude."

"Don't give me that. You keep up your facades out of _convenience_ , not any serious care for how people see you."

"You don't know that."

"You've told me a dozen times that you literally only do it to get certain reactions out of people, mostly so they don't bother you as much."

"Okay, maybe you _do_ know that..."

* * *

 **This was a weird chapter. Weird as in I felt a bit more aimless than usual when writing it, and I think it shows. I had a vague idea of what I was doing, but only a vague idea. Romance ended feeling weird, so I implemented that weirdness into the story. The form changing gimmick ended being used about as much as I expected, but not in the way as I expected. It ended up being very… normal, a non-issue in the story. That's probably because of Chrom. Chrom tends to make normal a lot of quirks due to not treating them as if they're particularly unusual. Which, in the grand scheme of things, this quirk really isn't. It's a few minor physical changes attached to an unnerving way of transforming. That's about it.**

* * *

 **B1ackAshes** **:** As long as you like it, I'm content.

 **Darkness is complete** **:** Noted.

 **bauers374** **:** I haven't actually. I've watched a full parody soundtrack of Hamilton by The Cantata Pansophical.

Huh… interesting… okay. I'll see about it.

 **Dandaman5** **:** :D

 **Memento Mori - The Truth** **:** Hmm… noted.

 **X King 014** **:** Next? No. At some point? Possibly.

 **Guest** **:** :D

 **Guest** **:** Right… right. Okay.

 **d8rkforcen1ght7** **:** Umm… hate to burst your bubble, but Emmet's not that old. He's only around thirty-five. He was a young adult around the time of Chrom's father's crusade, which he fought in.

 **Lobotomite** **:** Noted.

 **Cyberchao X** **:** Songs from games tend to be useful because, while they have a tendency to not flow as well due to a greater focus on clear lyrics than perfect balance of all elements, that same focus on clear lyrics at the expense of flow makes those songs easy to understand and create alternative lyrics to… or, if you just need a song that isn't annoying vague, video game songs work wonders for that. At least, that's _my_ experience. Your own may vary. I don't know much about Imagine Dragons as a group. I just recognize some of their songs.

 **ExiledLagacy :** I'll note it down.


	66. Assassin Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **Minor: Dark Flier, Immortal, Boxer (Pugilist), Exploitive, Swordmaster, Angry Cinnamon Roll, Tripping, Perpetual Cheer, Chef, Blacksmith, Pegasus Knight, Teacher, Librarian, Masochist, Literal-Minded, Authoritative, Wyvern Rider, Phobia, Thicc, Tsundere, Damsel in Distress, Gangrel's Child, Wyvern Rider, Child, Communist, Bomber, Bear Cavalry, Flying, ADHD, Super Strength, Patriotic, Martial Artist, Scottish, Sassy, One Liner, Seamstress, Shephard, Speedy, Cool, Shy, Bookworm, Sweet, Kung Fu, Buff, Lazy, Wingless Flight, Blunt, Paranoid, Elf, Dwarf, Scottish, Melancholic, Punny, Dark Mage.**

 **Standard: Elemental, Deaf, Nurse/Medic, Valmese Tactician, Medusa, Gift from Validar + evil to good, Mimic, Emotionless, Crippling Overspecialization (Idiot Savant), Coward, ESP, POW, PTSD, Magician, Mute, Handicapped, Secret Helper, Morpher, Dreamwalker, Twins, Regenerating, Animal Whisperer, Naga/Tiki Assistant, Deadly Touch, Mind Reader, Doppelganger, Arachne, D &D magic, Umbramancer, Dominatrix, Songstress, Kinky, Matchmaker, Androphobic, Illusionist, Attraction Aura, Ring Maker, Therapist, Teleporting, Crippled, Puppet, Broken, Hallucination, Depressed, Slave, Love Curse, Detective, Geokinetic, Trauma, Siren, Changeling.**

 **Unlikely: Chrom's child, Minotaur, Paladin, Werewolf, Future Soldier, Bounty Hunter, Weather control, Kleptomaniac, Druid, Steampunk, Shadow Familiar, Magic Augmentation, Lucky, Exile, Piper (Charmer), Gladiator, Witch Doctor, Centaur, Drunk, Demon, Punk, Harpy, Revenant, Luck Manipulation, Demon Summoner, Megalomaniac, Kitsune, King of Plegia, Mood Ring, Reverse Aging, Hammerspace, Prostitute, Demon Hunter, Cyborg, Deadlord, Rebellion, Einherjar, Trap, Yandere, Living Weapon, Size Shifter, Queen of Plegia, Gluttonous, Stretchy, Alchemist, Protoss, Spirit Manipulation, Invisible, Plegian Honor Guard, Mecha, Kryptonian, Creator, Orc, Memory Stealing Respawn, Racer, Khan, Misfortune, Vampire Hunter, Imaginary Actualization, Death, Resurrection, Force, Merchant, Background Music, Variable, Civilian, Natural Disaster, Mental Noise Projection, Hidden OP, Summoner, Cyclops, Teleporter, Cryokinetic, Genie, Judge, Intangibility, Fortune Teller, Serial Killer, Magic Fixit, Drakengard Restoration, Ying-Yang, Childhood Friend, Cyberpunk, Chrom's Mother, Obsessed, Berserker, Phase Shift, Gravity Manipulation, Hallucinating, Bladesoul, Zombie, Double Entendre, Shared Body/Two Souls, Cannibal, Violent, Insane, Waterbender, Casanova, Cupid, Undertaker, Master Thief, Guard, Faceless, Shadow, Age Control, Cradle Snatcher, Emo, Nun, Courier, Haunted Knight Armor, Egyptian, Sentient Object, Shit Lord, Court Wizard, Naga's sibling, Mad Queen, Artist, Predator, Cheshire Cat, Radio Host, Chimera, Wendigo, Witch, Symbiote, Hivemind, Hammerspace, Anna, Mother Nature, Psychopath, Stripper, Painting, Grima Parts, Knightmare, Super, Swimsuit, Bunny Outfit, One Punch, Idol, Chef, Rampage, Housewife, Determination, Vessel of Naga, Instant Expert, Time Travel, Hermit, Alternate Dimension 'Twin', Legendary, Resistance, Memory Regain, Umbra Witch, Naga, Aquatic, Hexblade Warlock, Dragon, Demon of Choice, Demon of Temptation, Affliction, Good Samaritan, Gallant, Rosannite Tactician, Leeroy, Dungeon, Apparition, Unwilling, Wildlife Commander, Consistent Kidnapee, Grenadier, Magic Creature, Alternating Mind Control, Sothis in the Mind, Exalt, Unicorn, Pegasus, Alicorn, Star Lord, Slenderman, Bird Laguz, Junk Dealer, Gate Guardian, Shaman, Ghostbuster, Exorcist, King, Soldier, Bird Wings, Failed Vessel, Of the Corn, Valentian, Harem, Genie, Car.**

 **Other: Second Generation replacement, Dimensional Walker, Cycle, Fates.**

 **Assassin Robin, suggested by Guest. Another one of my flirty F!Robins, because I know what I like and this is my collection damnit.**

 **Also trying out a new dynamic. We'll see how this goes. Might not be the best chapter because of it though.**

* * *

At first it happens on the battlefield. A surprise ambush from the trees when he rushes by nearly kills him. The figure is clothed in greens and browns for camouflage, and they look surprisingly short.

The sunlight glinting off their dagger is all the warning he gets before it's thrown at his face. Chrom drops into a roll to avoid it, and then charges at them with Falchion drawn.

To his surprise, they don't immediately flee. Instead they draw two more daggers and meet his charge head-on. They deflect his swing with one blade and thrust at his chest with the other, but the slim blade can't make it through his chestplate. The figure leaps back before Chrom can strike again and starts circling him.

They don't have the time for a second attack though. Frederick is right behind Chrom, and the assassin beats a hasty retreat before he can skewer them.

"Milord, are you alright?" Frederick shouts as he stops his horse just beside his liege.

"It's fine Frederick. They didn't manage to wound me." Chrom reassures. He taps his chestplate. "Their dagger didn't get through my armor."

"An assassin though…" The knight frowns deeply. "Plegia has finally realized you are a threat worth dealing with Milord."

Chrom feels oddly proud of himself upon hearing that. However, he's also fully aware that this isn't necessarily a good thing. "I'll need to be more cautious from now on."

"And we should assign a guard to Lissa. If you're being targeted, she may be next."

"Agreed." Chrom knows Lissa will _hate_ that, but he's not about to risk losing his younger sister. "But for the moment, let us finish this battle."

"Understood Milord."

###

The second time he encounters them, it's in camp. Chrom is just leaving the strategy tent after talking to Virion when they launch out from behind a cart. Chrom manages to bring up an arm to block the dagger, though it bites deep into his flesh and send sharp, hot pain lancing down his arm. He draws Falchion with the other hand and swipes back while barking for help.

Unlike their first attempt, the figure retreats instantly this time. They don't wait for another Shepherd to come rushing in and back off as soon as he starts shouting.

Chrom doesn't _necessarily_ know it's the same person, but considering this assassin was just as short as the other one, he's assuming they are.

Within a minute every Shepherd in the camp has rushed to Chrom's position. Lissa and Maribelle heal him up, though they are forced to use a purify spell to do so. The dagger was poisoned.

Chrom starts taking antidotes with him wherever he goes.

###

The third time they're in disguise, and Chrom leans they're a girl. They're disguised as a Ylissian cavalier so Chrom doesn't immediately identify them by their short height. They have pale skin (might be makeup), sharp green eyes, and a body that looks like someone took two different statuettes, cut them in half, and fused the top of one and the bottom of the other together with no regard for consistency in body shape between the two. Her upper body is slim and flat, like Nowi, but her hips, legs, and behind are _quite_ thick. It's a very distinct and (in Chrom's opinion) _odd_ look. Not a bad look, just a unique one.

She tries to trample him and impale him with a lance. She even quips at him as she's leaving this time, when he dives out of the way of the horse and the guards chase her off. "You'll run out of luck one day Blue! I'll make sure of it!"

Despite the fact that she just tried to kill him, Chrom feels amused that she gave him a nickname.

###

"So we meet again!" Chrom shouts when she bursts from the bushes and nearly slits his throat. He got Falchion up just in time to block them. He doesn't know how she got into the gardens, but it's a good place for an ambush. Chrom could call the guards, but it would take them a minute or two to find them.

"Always a pleasure." She quips back. She proceeds through a series of double strikes, thrusting at two places on his body at the same time with her daggers. They're risky attacks only made possible by her great speed.

"Should I ask why Plegia's suddenly so interested in me?" Chrom questions. He bats aside another thrust and body-checks the small girl, knocking her off-balance, but she's not so easily beaten and throws a dagger to stop him from capitalizing on her stumble.

"How do you know _I'm_ not the one interested in you?" The assassin asks with mock offense in her voice.

"You have a strange way of showing it then."

"Would you prefer a kiss instead? I have some poisonous lipstick I've been meaning to try." She tosses another dagger, then another, and another.

"Pass." Chrom grunts. " _How many daggers does she have?_ "

"I'll have you know I'm a _great_ kisser. My past victims all said so."

"And then died."

"Well obviously." She sidesteps a thrust. "That's sort of in the job description."

The Prince is getting frustrated. He hasn't managed to land a hit yet. The fight isn't going poorly per say, but he doesn't have much faith he can outlast the girl. He's swinging around a significantly heavier weapon than she is, so there's a very real chance he'll tire out first.

"Guards!" Chrom shouts. They'll take a few minutes, but he can hold out that long. He just needs a guaranteed out before this fight goes too long.

"Bringing in other people? I thought we had something special." The assassin mocks.

"I'd love to dance more, but it's important we have a life outside each other." Chrom jokes back. "Besides, I'm sure I'll see you again soon."

This is crazy. Truly crazy. He shouldn't be joking around with the person trying to kill him… but he can't deny it's fun, in an adrenaline-junkie sorta way.

"You can be sure of that. I can't get enough of you _dear_."

"I look forward to it, _honey_."

The guards storm in after a few minutes and the assassin leaves by leaping into the trees and jumping off. Chrom shakes his head and sheaths his sword. This situation is getting out of hand.

###

Chrom's weekly fights with the assassin have become something he looks forward to, though he would never admit it to anyone else. His family and Frederick are constantly worried (which is honestly reasonable), but Chrom can't bring himself to be as concerned as they are. Sure, he pretends to be worried, but honestly he isn't. He doesn't know when it happened, but he's started to think of their fights as a game rather than life-or-death battles.

"Good morning dear."

Chrom blinks awake and whips out the dagger from underneath his pillow. It happens just in time to block the blade descending towards his throat. "Ugh… 'morning. You're here early."

"I missed you." The girl says cheerily. She's sitting on his chest (which somehow didn't wake him up) while trying to push her dagger into his throat. "A week is a long time. I was thinking of making this a more regular thing."

"I don't think my family would like that. They aren't very fond of you." Chrom grunts. A thought crosses his mind as he banters. She could have just slit his throat without waking him up. She spoke, and _then_ attacked. Maybe she's grown fond of this routine like he has, and wants to make sure he at least gets a proper fight if she's going to try and kill him.

"And you're going to let that get in the way of _us_?" The assassin gasps, feigning offense. "I'm wounded! Don't you care about me?"

"Sorry honey." Chrom says. He manages to bring up his legs and hook one around the girl's neck, and pull her off him that way. They both roll off the bed and stand on either side, each brandishing a dagger. "But I have to take them into account too. Family is important after all."

"I can't say I relate." The assassin sighs. She draws a second dagger, and Chrom takes the opportunity to drop his own and grab Falchion. "Family you care about? How lucky."

"You can't relate?" Chrom frowns. That's… sad. "I'm sorry."

"Hmph." The girl launches a dagger and leaps up onto the bed. Chrom deflects the projectile and swings Falchion into place to meet her next attacks. "It's not _your_ fault."

Chrom really isn't suited to be a therapist, but it's not like there's someone else who can talk to her. Is he really going to help sort through the emotional baggage of someone trying to _kill_ him…?

Of course he is. She's in need of help, and (despite trying to kill him), hasn't really shown signs of being an awful person. Besides, she's trying to kill _him_ , so it's up to him how he wants to deal with her. If she was going after Lissa it would be a different story.

"Your family doesn't care? None of them?" He asks. The prince snaps out his free hand and grabs her hand. He tries to wrestle the dagger out of it while tangling her other blade with Falchion, but she frees her other dagger easily and he's forced to pull back.

"They care about the fact that I exist, but not _me_." She grumbles. "I'm a tool to be used. They only care that I keep myself sharp, and only then are they willing to be _polite_."

"Then why do you deal with them?"

"What choice do I have? They're family."

Chrom goes on the offensive, swinging his blade in quick, short arcs so as to not hit anything in the relatively small room. Despite being the prince, he's always insisted on a moderately sized room. He has no use for a massive amount of space. "There is more to life than family. I know I just said I had to take them into account, but that's because they _deserve_ my love. It's up to you if your family does, despite the mistreatment, but you are allowed to put yourself first."

"Allowed?" She scoffs. Her blades moves quickly to block his onslaught. "I doubt they'd let me do that."

"Allowed in the general moral sense." Chrom clarifies. "That goes beyond rules and laws. Basic human rights you might say."

"Never thought I'd hear a _prince_ say something is above the law besides themself."

"You expected so low of me? I'm offended." She has a point though. Ylisse's ruling family _does_ have an unfortunate reputation of putting themselves above the law, as if they can do no wrong. It's only now with the death of Chrom's parents and Emmeryn taking the throne that their reputation has started to change.

"But what then, do you just expect me to ignore them? They won't like that."

"It's not up to me what you do." Chrom says bluntly. "I won't make your life decisions for you. I'm offering a new way of seeing things. It's up to _you_ to choose what to do with that."

"Hmm…" They throw a dagger, but it's barely an attack. It goes wide without Chrom even blocking it. She then steps back from the fight and sheathes her weapons. Chrom stops, though still holds Falchion. "We're done for today."

"Uhh, alright." Chrom nods uncertainly. These encounters have always ended with her running away. This is new, though it does support the idea that she too sees these fights as a game more than an actual battle. He allows them to walk to the window unhindered, picking up their daggers from around the room as they do so. She opens the window, nods to him, and jumps out.

###

It was a normal encounter. She jumped out from behind a rock, and they dueled along the cliffside, trading near-misses with their usual weapons.

Chrom has to admit a certain recklessness when fighting her ever since that talk in his room. With the (tentative) understanding that she sees this as a game as well, he feels confident being a bit more stylish than he would in a usual fight. His moves are more reminiscent of a ceremonial show match with elaborate, intricate swordplay and acrobatics. The assassin plays along, improvising her own unnecessarily fancy attacks.

It's quite fun actually. He almost forgets that they're supposed to enemies.

Then he missteps. He gets too close to the edge of the cliff, and his leg slips on loose dirt. Chrom flails his arms out for balance, but has already begun an inevitable fall off the edge.

His eyes meet the assassin, who has frozen in place. At this point he remembers that she's _technically_ supposed to kill him, and while she's always gone easy on him so they can keep up this dance, she's never actually _helped_ him before. She's only ever reduced her own threat. Actually saving him here would be tantamount to turning traitor, whereas before she had plausible deniability.

She could kick him off the cliff, or just let him fall. Mission accomplished.

The world falls away as his body is pulled by gravity. Green grass and green eyes are replaced by blue sky and a feeling of-

He's grabbed by the collar and hauled back onto the grass, where he falls on his back. The assassin stares down at him with arms crossed and a disapproving glare that's mostly hidden by their mask.

"Now what did you go do that for?" The assassin huffs. "If you fall off a cliff, who am I going to eventually beat?"

"Excuse you, _I_ was winning." Chrom replies.

She promptly sits on his stomach, knocking the wind from him. "Sure, sure, you look very _winning_ right now."

"Hard to lose when your opponent isn't really _trying_ to win." Chrom quips back.

"Oh, is that how we're playing now, _dear_?"

"I don't know what you mean, _honey_." Chrom replies. "I'm only speaking the _truth_."

"Oh, _oh_ , and we're going to gloss over that _you_ weren't trying to win either?" She huffs again. "Who's sitting on who right now? Huh?"

"I think I could count that as _my_ win." Chrom says cheekily.

"Pervert."

"Hey, _you_ sat on _me_."

She snorts. "That's not a _win_ for you. You didn't _earn_ this."

"I'll take it anyways."

"Take? _Hah_. You get this because I _allow_ it."

"Fine, I'll _accept_ your gift." Chrom snorts.

"Are you mocking me?"

"Maybe a little."

She pulls off her mask and Chrom can see she's glaring, but with a smirk on her face. "It's a shame I don't give gifts."

"Oh?"

"I demand an equal exchange."

"I'm not sure you'll find it as pleasant to have me sit on your stomach. That's something that's really only nice when a girl does it." Chrom points out.

"Smart ass. There are other ways to pay.." She grabs him by the collar and leans down. Chrom sees it coming, and has a split-second to decide if this is really something he should be doing.

Well, obviously not, he shouldn't have been entertaining her at all these last few months, but the question is more if he _wants_ to do it. The answer to that, of course, is _yes_.

The thought of poisoned lipstick crosses his mind a second too late as the assassin mashes her lips into his. Chrom brings his arms up around her small body and hugs her tight. Thoughts of how on earth he's going to explain this to his sisters or Frederick cross his mind, but he pushes it aside for the moment. This was a terrible idea from the start, he should have never bantered with his assassin, but it _worked_. By some miracle they've ended up here.

The two separate, breathless and slightly red-faced. The assassin speaks first. "So, does this mean I can join Ylisse now?"

Chrom laughs. "You could have done that _without_ kissing the prince." He pauses, then says. "Are you alright with that though? Your family…?"

"Can go die in a hole." She replies curtly. "I've been doing some looking-into things between attempts with the help of a friend. My _dear old father_ is about a hundred times more shitty than I expected, and my sister is right along for the ride."

"And your mother?"

"Long gone."

"Ah, sorry."

"It's fine. Old news."

They fall quiet for a second. The assassin shifts down to Chrom's lap so he can actually sit up, and the prince does so. Chrom suddenly remembers something and smiles sheepishly. "So, uh… I don't actually know your _name_."

"Oh right, you don't. I never said it." The assassin grins. "Kissing someone you don't even know the name of? Naughty."

"Just tell me."

"Make me."

Chrom suddenly leans forwards and knocks her to the ground. She's lying flat on her back with Chrom kneeling over her, and her legs up around his hips.

"Aww, did you want to be on top?" She teases.

"Just tell me your name." Chrom groans. "What do you want me to _do_? I'm not good at this."

"You were doing fine before." The assassin laughs. "Try something."

Chrom hesitates while eyeing the girl below him. She's wearing an expectant smirk with a raised eyebrow. When Chrom doesn't immediately act, she rolls her eyes and squeezes his hips with her legs.

"Feeling shy? Now?"

"I…"

She tilts her head, and speaks in a softer voice. "I can just tell you then, if you don't feel comfortable."

The prince blinks. He was expecting annoyance from her considering her haughty, flirty attitude, especially since they were technically enemies not five minutes ago. This a welcome surprise. "No, sorry, just give me a second."

Taking a breath, Chrom leans down and starts nibbling her jawline. The girl hums in approval and threads her fingers into his hair. "There we go…"

"Your name?"

"Hmm?" The smug smile returns, along with the teasing. "What was that?"

Realizing the game she wants to play, Chrom goes along with it. He presses firmer kisses into her jaw and neck. "Your name, _tell me_!"

This little dance repeats a few times until the girl 'gives in' and reveals her name. "Robin." She says with a haughty grin. Even with him on top, she looks in control thanks to her confidence.

The two sit up once more, and separate. "So…" Chrom says slowly. "Are you just coming with me? Do you have anything to settle?"

"Nothing that can't be done with a message. I want to alert my friend, for one. She wouldn't mind defecting too if you'd have her. She's a skilled dark mage."

"Any help is welcome." Chrom smiles. " _Robin_."

"Are you going to be all sappy with saying my name like that?" She huffs. "And here I thought you were some suave prince. You're actually a total romantic, aren't you?"

"Maybe…" He coughs in embarrassment. "You say that like it's a bad thing."

"It's fine." Robin's eyes narrow and her smile widens. "I know some ways to have fun with you."

"I hope that fun isn't one-way…"

"Oh you'll enjoy it plenty." She chuckles. She leans forward and pecks him on the lips. "Dear."

Somehow, that simple kiss embaresses him more than anything else that day. Maybe it's the sincerity or the genuine affection, or he really is just a romantic sap. Either way, he turns around with a fierce blush and manages to say: "We should get back to the others. Introductions are long overdue."

"I can't wait to see how you explain this." Robin laughs. "Your bodyguard, Frederick I think, didn't seem like a very _open_ person."

"Yeah…" Chrom sighs. Frederick is going to be beside himself, and Lissa is going to have a field day. "It'll be worth it though."

"Sap." She pokes him in the shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll be beside you. I won't leave you alone to explain it."

"Oh thank Naga…"

* * *

 **Okay, this was interesting to write. Ended up getting a bit more steamy than I expected at the end, but hey, that's fine. I've never done the "enemies to lovers" trope, and I don't think I executed it particularly well, but I'm keeping this one in mind moving forwards as a reference for other chapters. I tried something new here, and it wasn't** _ **horrible**_ **, so I'll count that as a win.**

* * *

 **Darklight of the 0 arcana** **:** How is that going to be different from The Chained Lady? I don't say that to be rude by the way, I want to know what you're thinking.

 **Guest** **:** Vetoing anything that pulls from other properties. At least for this collection I am. I'll put it down for Varied Awakenings though.

 **Dr. Cheese** **:** Noted.

 **bauers374** **:** That's what I was thinking when I wrote that to be honest.

 **Darkness is complete** **:** In the medieval ages? I'll note it down, but… don't get your hopes up.

 **Zera Of The Damned** **:** Oh indeed.

 **B1ackAshes** **:** Fair enough.

 **Cyberchao X** **:** Can I ramble here a bit?

Okay, so there's something curious about how using actual genderfluidity vs sex changing like I did. With gender fluidity, Robin wouldn't physically _change_ when they decided to switch. The story would have been a commentary on how people have a difficult time separating sex and gender, as society would just see Robin as their biological sex rather than what choice they make. With sex changing however, the story becomes about how people's behaviour is easily influenced by the sex of the person they're interacting with, and the inherant biases a lot people have.

I chose the second one because I wanted the more fantastical route. However, _usual_ gender fluidity would have gotten a perfectly fine, and different, story.

So, uh, yeah. That's what you might have expected. :P

 **Guest :** Noted.


	67. Martial Artist Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **Minor: Dark Flier, Immortal, Boxer (Pugilist), Exploitive, Swordmaster, Angry Cinnamon Roll, Tripping, Perpetual Cheer, Chef, Blacksmith, Pegasus Knight, Teacher, Librarian, Masochist, Literal-Minded, Authoritative, Wyvern Rider, Phobia, Thicc, Tsundere, Damsel in Distress, Gangrel's Child, Wyvern Rider, Child, Communist, Bomber, Bear Cavalry, Flying, ADHD, Super Strength, Patriotic, Martial Artist, Scottish, Sassy, One Liner, Seamstress, Shephard, Speedy, Cool, Shy, Bookworm, Sweet, Kung Fu, Buff, Lazy, Wingless Flight, Blunt, Paranoid, Elf, Dwarf, Scottish, Melancholic, Punny, Dark Mage.**

 **Standard: Elemental, Deaf, Nurse/Medic, Valmese Tactician, Medusa, Gift from Validar + evil to good, Mimic, Emotionless, Crippling Overspecialization (Idiot Savant), Coward, ESP, POW, PTSD, Magician, Mute, Handicapped, Secret Helper, Morpher, Dreamwalker, Twins, Regenerating, Animal Whisperer, Naga/Tiki Assistant, Deadly Touch, Mind Reader, Doppelganger, Arachne, D &D magic, Umbramancer, Dominatrix, Songstress, Kinky, Matchmaker, Androphobic, Illusionist, Attraction Aura, Ring Maker, Therapist, Teleporting, Crippled, Puppet, Broken, Hallucination, Depressed, Slave, Love Curse, Detective, Geokinetic, Trauma, Siren, Changeling.**

 **Unlikely: Chrom's child, Minotaur, Paladin, Werewolf, Future Soldier, Bounty Hunter, Weather control, Kleptomaniac, Druid, Steampunk, Shadow Familiar, Magic Augmentation, Lucky, Exile, Piper (Charmer), Gladiator, Witch Doctor, Centaur, Drunk, Demon, Punk, Harpy, Revenant, Luck Manipulation, Demon Summoner, Megalomaniac, Kitsune, King of Plegia, Mood Ring, Reverse Aging, Hammerspace, Prostitute, Demon Hunter, Cyborg, Deadlord, Rebellion, Einherjar, Trap, Yandere, Living Weapon, Size Shifter, Queen of Plegia, Gluttonous, Stretchy, Alchemist, Protoss, Spirit Manipulation, Invisible, Plegian Honor Guard, Mecha, Kryptonian, Creator, Orc, Memory Stealing Respawn, Racer, Khan, Misfortune, Vampire Hunter, Imaginary Actualization, Death, Resurrection, Force, Merchant, Background Music, Variable, Civilian, Natural Disaster, Mental Noise Projection, Hidden OP, Summoner, Cyclops, Teleporter, Cryokinetic, Genie, Judge, Intangibility, Fortune Teller, Serial Killer, Magic Fixit, Drakengard Restoration, Ying-Yang, Childhood Friend, Cyberpunk, Chrom's Mother, Obsessed, Berserker, Phase Shift, Gravity Manipulation, Hallucinating, Bladesoul, Zombie, Double Entendre, Shared Body/Two Souls, Cannibal, Violent, Insane, Waterbender, Casanova, Cupid, Undertaker, Master Thief, Guard, Faceless, Shadow, Age Control, Cradle Snatcher, Emo, Nun, Courier, Haunted Knight Armor, Egyptian, Sentient Object, Shit Lord, Court Wizard, Naga's sibling, Mad Queen, Artist, Predator, Cheshire Cat, Radio Host, Chimera, Wendigo, Witch, Symbiote, Hivemind, Hammerspace, Anna, Mother Nature, Psychopath, Stripper, Painting, Grima Parts, Knightmare, Super, Swimsuit, Bunny Outfit, One Punch, Idol, Chef, Rampage, Housewife, Determination, Vessel of Naga, Instant Expert, Time Travel, Hermit, Alternate Dimension 'Twin', Legendary, Resistance, Memory Regain, Umbra Witch, Naga, Aquatic, Hexblade Warlock, Dragon, Demon of Choice, Demon of Temptation, Affliction, Good Samaritan, Gallant, Rosannite Tactician, Leeroy, Dungeon, Apparition, Unwilling, Wildlife Commander, Consistent Kidnapee, Grenadier, Magic Creature, Alternating Mind Control, Sothis in the Mind, Exalt, Unicorn, Pegasus, Alicorn, Star Lord, Slenderman, Bird Laguz, Junk Dealer, Gate Guardian, Shaman, Ghostbuster, Exorcist, King, Soldier, Bird Wings, Failed Vessel, Of the Corn, Valentian, Harem, Genie, Car, Incubus, National personification.**

 **So, before this starts, I have something to announce. Announce? I guess it's an announcement, technically. I've decided the endpoint for The Robin Variable. It's not terribly close, I'm going to chapter 100, but that'll be the end. (Well, it'll be the last** _ **proper**_ **chapter; chapter 101 will be the short epilogues for chapter 41-100. Might do a chapter 102 with short snippets of what I've considered for some of the others ideas, or something along those lines, but you get the point. Chapter 100 will be the last** _ **proper**_ **chapter). Similarly, Varied Awakenings will probably only go to chapter 50 before being moved out of my main rotation (I keep a rotation of three stories that I consistantly update, which right now is TRV, VA, and Five Stars) due to its low popularity.**

 **Anyhow, this chapter is Martial Artist Robin as suggested by G and Wyvern Rider (kinda) Robin as suggested by Guest.**

* * *

Cherche sighs deeply. This wasn't exactly what she had in mind when Robin said he had been practicing something with Minerva. She was expecting a combat technique, not… this.

"Behold, the Fell Dragon Grima!" Robin cries, gesturing to the side of the stage. The kids watching all gasp in appropriate awe as Minerva trundles onto the stage with a menacing hiss. She's not holding herself as she would if she were actually aggressive though. A wyvern flares out their wings and roars when they actually want to look scary. Minerva is holding her head low and making a noise much closer to a hiss, which is something they do in nature _on occasion_ was likely something Robin taught her.

Minerva plays along with Robin's whole routine, taking (very weak, extremely telegraphed) claw swipes, bites, and head bashes at the tactician as he dances around her, throwing weak but dramatic punches and kicks, doing flips and cartwheels, and generally putting on a show to impress the audience of awed kids.

The adults look a bit nervous at having a _wyvern_ so close to their kids, but Robin's prestige as the grand tactician probably makes them trust him despite that.

This is also something that would _only_ work with Minerva and not just any wyvern. A lot of people give Cherche weird looks when she coos over Minerva and calls her 'cute' or 'gentle', but it's very true. Minerva is essentially a rescue baby, despite their rocky first meeting, and as such is _much_ more gentle and calm around humans than most domesticated wyvern. She's one of the few wyverns you could realistically trust _not_ to have a fit of anger or be frightened or offended by people. Her temperament compared to most wyverns is _exceedingly_ calm.

That's why Cherche doesn't run in and stop this, as she would with any other fool trying to use a wyvern as part of some sort of circus act. She knows that Robin knows Minerva is a special case. She still thinks this is a bit foolish of course, but she can't deny that it _is_ amusing to see Minerva playing the part of Grima and mock fighting with Robin.

When Robin delivers the 'finishing blow', Minerva keels over dramatically with a "Croooo!" and lies on her back with wings spread.

Sometimes Cherche wonders if Minerva is really a wyvern, or just a dog pretending to be one.

###

"C'mon, c'mon!" Robin laughs, beckoning his wife. "Try again!"

"Robin, we both know well I won't win if I try again." Cherche chuckles. She dusts off her sparring clothes from her most recent fall. "My hand-to-hand just doesn't match yours."

"Then use an axe! Heck, use Minerva, I'll take you both on!"

Cherche sighs in amusement as she picks up a training axe. "What _won't_ you do for a good fight?"

"Hey, I punched out Grima, a _dragon_ , that should say a lot."

"You punched his avatar."

"Same thing!"

Rolling her eyes to the sky, Cherche advances on her husband with an axe in hand. It's not nearly as unfair as it sounds considering Robin is a highly skilled martial artist. In fact, Robin probably still has the advantage considering Cherche is used to fighting on wyvernback.

In his usual excessively-dramatic style, Robin soundly knocks her around the training grounds. Cherche isn't helpless by any means, but Robin is very much in his element here. You could mistake Robin's movements for being staged, but that's just how he fights.

He insists his fighting style is kung fu. It's… not. Well, not _usually_. He _can_ do kung fu, he just also does other things a lot as well. He's quite partial to drunken boxing styles, but his full repertoire is a mix of so many different styles it might as well be considered a style unto itself

Robin knows this. He just likes saying "I know kung fu!", so he calls his fighting style kung fu despite the fact that it's really not.

So while Cherche is a picture of discipline and carefully-used strength, Robin looks like he's dancing half the time. Cherche can almost hear the imaginary beat he's fighting to. Her husband's feet slide across the dirt as if it's ice as he strings together a seamless stream of jabs, kicks, elbow strikes, knee attacks, and so on.

He's told her before that he _is_ trying hard, but Cherche can never tell. Even when he's really trying, it still looks like he's dancing.

Their spar is unceremoniously ended by Minerva rushing onto the training grounds and playfully knocking them both over. After all, to a wyvern, sparring is basically play.

###

" _Let's get em!_ " Robin shouts with a mad grin on his face. Minerva, hearing the now-familiar battle cry, adds a roar to the man's shout and takes off at high speed. The man hollars with clear glee as the two of them descend on the pack of unfortunate bandits and start tearing them apart.

Cherche watches from the sidelines, shaking her head in amusement. If this were any serious battle she would be on Minerva's back with Robin riding passenger, but in such a low-effort low-stakes fight she's content to let her husband have his fun. Besides, Minerva seems to enjoy Robin's dramatic nonsense just as much as he does. The wyvern does many more arial loops and big, obvious lunges when fighting with him on her back, fighting for flare rather than for efficiency.

It's remarkably similar to wyvern mating rituals actually. Big shows of power, not necessarily the most effective, just whatever looks impressive.

"Why are you letting Father ride Minerva?" Gerome asks dryly. His own Minerva, two decades older than the one fooling around with Robin up ahead, rests behind the two of them. She looks like she's sleeping, except for one eye being kept half-open to watch the battle going on. "He's not doing it right at all. You're not supposed to dive like that, and he should have taken off quicker after striking."

"No need to be so serious." Cherche chuckles. "Unless you think those two are in any _serious_ danger from some bandits."

The boy's mouth thins as he watches his father and Minerva dive from the sky, smashing a bandit to pulp as they land, and waste a moment with a dramatic pose before rising back up into the air. "At the very least he could _pretend_ to have some dignity."

Cherche smiles fondly. "He'd fit right in with the Justice Cabal, wouldn't he?"

"Oh Naga, _don't_ suggest that to Owain…"

###

If it was supposed to be a secret, Robin was doing a terrible job… or, more accurately, Minerva was doing a terrible job. Then again, trying to fit a wyvern into a house, even one with tall rooms like theirs, was never going to be a quiet affair.

So, just for the sake of not ruining whatever he's doing, Cherche stays in bed and allows him to do whatever it is he's doing.

Then she hears the sound of something breaking, gives a deep sigh, and removes herself from bed. She better go stop her husband's nonsense before Minerva knocks down the house.

Cherche steps out of bed and puts on a robe and makes her way to the dining room. She stares at the wyvern that has somehow managed to cram itself into the corner of the room. There's a broken plate near Minerva's foot, explaining the crash, and an array of food set out on the table.

"You're supposed to still be sleeping!" Robin protests as he enters the room with another plate of food. His face has contorted into a pout. "You always sleep late!"

"Except when I can hear Minerva breaking the house." She responds in amusement.

"How _dare_ you!" Robin gasps, feigning scandal. He rests his on Minerva's wing and gestures to her face. "This is a picture of innocence! The face of an angel! That broken plate could have been… a rat."

Cherche raises an eyebrow, now smirking. "Really?"

"Sure, why not." Robin shrugs. "Besides, Miverva wants to celebrate too, right Minerva?"

The wyvern lets out a low rumbling noise and leans across the room to nuzzle Cherche. The lady laughs and affectionately pats her on the snout. "Well, that explains the deer carcass on the table I suppose."

In the end, she lets Minerva stay in the house for breakfast. It's a disaster, and it will probably take days to scrub out the blood stains on the floorboards and the table from Miinerva's meal… but she honestly expected no less. As far as her birthday goes, this is a fairly tame start.

Last year he managed to get Minerva all the way to the bedroom door. They had to replace _several_ door frames…

###

"Gerooooome!"

"Oh Naga…" The boy sighs. "Hello Father."

The grumpy boy is scooped off his feet for a moment as Robin hugs him, and then he instantly goes off to hug the old wyvern curled up nearby. "Hey girl! How are the old bones?"

Mivera the elder huffs. She raises her head for just a moment to lick the man upside the cheek before returning to her rest. She doesn't mind when Robin starts rubbing her head, despite the fact it must be disrupting her nap… or maybe it feels like a massage.

"Don't get _too_ excited to see us dear." Cherche chuckles to her son. "Contain yourself."

"Ha-ha." The boy grumbles. "What do you two want?"

"To see our son."

"Well you've seen me." The boy responds dryly. "You can go now."

Maybe Minerva (the elder) understood his tone, because if a wyvern could give 'the look', Minerva sure gives it to him. That looks of " _you better stop being petty and be nice to your parents_ ".

At least, that Gerome assumes the wyvern is saying. That sounds like what she would say. It sounds strange to say about a wyvern, but Minerva is big on family.

This is only reinforced when Minerva the younger (Cherche's Minerva) gives him the same look, punctuated by a soft growl.

Gerome sighs. He really doesn't want to deal with this. He moved to the wyvern valley to get _away_ from this. He loves his parents, he really does, but that doesn't mean he feels particularly comfortable around them. Frankly, he'd rather be alone with Minerva. That sounds horrible of him, and maybe it is, but it's true nonetheless.

Still, maybe he _should_ indulge them, his own discomfort be damned.

"I suppose I can spare some time…"

* * *

 **Short, simple chapter, but it works I guess. Haven't done one of these in a while.**

* * *

 **Darkness is complete** **:** You've actually suggested that before already. Guess I'll add an x2 next to that in my notes :P

 **Fantasy Paradise** **:** Noted.

 **B1ackAshes** **:** Several people seem to like how this relationship was done. I've done something very right this time apparently.

I mean, I _could_ , I'd have to differentiate it from Succubus Robin and Vampire Robin, as both of those have similar dynamics and were intended as counterpoints to each other, but it's _possible_.

 **Quiet** **:** It's a hard balance with Chrom between him being kind and him being stupid, and I think this chapter managed to hit that mark somehow. I'm glad you liked it.

 **Laughing Dog** **:** I think Morgan would think it's awesome, and Lucina would be slightly mortified, but considering the craziness of their lives I don't think it would phaze them all that much.

Unless we're talking about the _not_ future children Morgan and Lucina, then maybe yeah, hearing your parents tried to kill each other numerous times _would_ be traumatizing, wouldn't it?

 **Dandaman5** **:** Thank you! It was my first serious attempt with it, and apparently it worked well.

 **bauers374** **:** Noted.

 **Cyberchao X** **:** Even so, a compliment is a compliment. I'll take it. Hope the other story improves.

 **LuciferXIII Trollkaiger Green** **:** I make a point of not doing crossovers here. I know those are dragons within the same series and all, but I won't drag in elements of other games. So no, sorry, I actually have to turn those ideas down. They're one of the few things I'll outright say no to.

 **Sonochu** **:** Full honesty, I had no idea if I even wanted to tackle your reviews. Not because they were bad or unjustified necessarily, just because they seem to have a fair point and I don't know if my defence holds up, or if I should even offer a defence (or my opinion at all) for the sake of not sparking a conflict.

But, so far, I've made a habit of being as forthright as I can with my opinions and intents, and I make a point of addressing _every_ review of any substance, so I'll keep that up here. No offense intended to you with _anything_ , but I have realized over writing so many responses to reviews that I can come off as… blunt. So, sorry in advance if that happens. I'm quite happy to have a critical reader!

How to go about this… I could make a response to your reviews directly, breaking apart your argument, but it's easy to nitpick and be petty, so instead I'll just present my side and only touch on a few major points you made.

So, basically, I make flirty/aggressive female Robins because I like that archetype. Plain and simple. Same reason why Robin tends to be sexualized: author appeal. I won't deny any of that. Sometimes there are other primary reasons, but _usually_ it's just because I decided I wanted to do another of that type (I'll just use the abbreviation F/A from now on so I don't have to write out flirty/aggressive all the time), and I'm firmly of the opinion that people can do whatever the heck they want as long as it doesn't affect other people (as in, I don't shove it in people's faces, and people _choose_ to be here reading these stories). There's not much more to it than that. These are fictional characters, and while I won't be the person to say "you're taking (insert thing here) too seriously" I _will_ be the one to firmly remind people of the difference between fiction and reality. I know full well that I'm writing a fantasy, and I expect my readers to know that too. So I make no apologies for exaggerating Robin's sexuality, sometimes to extreme levels, as it is with the implicit understanding that of _course_ I'm exaggerating for entertainment. If that's not your cup of tea, fine. Not everyone has the same preferences. No problem there.

Okay, so, the part about making Chrom uncomfortable? Great point. Totally missed that on my own. I'm of the opinion it's kind of an author/reader disconnect as well. I've always assumed, with one exception, that Chrom is the 'hot and bothered, oh Naga how do I flirt?' sort of uncomfortable rather than the 'get me out of here, please stop' sort of uncomfortable. However, that doesn't always translate to the page so well. I guess I assume it's obvious that Chrom is just stupidly awkward and nothing more when it's not obvious at all. (That one exception by the way? Alien Robin, where the whole point is that Robin is completely selfish and sociopathic and uses her appearance to try and manipulate Chrom). I can see why Assassin Robin would be a breath of fresh air for that reason (although in Angel Robin Chrom is explicitly fine with it as well).

So, TLDR, good point about Chrom being uncomfortable, and no, I won't stop making Robin extremely sexualized or doing F/A because this is my collection and I believe in a person's freedom to do what they want as long as they don't shove it in other people's faces.

Oh, and I've actually been working on those ideas you suggested to do in the future (male Robin romance, using the future kids), it's just that I'm really _bad_ at romance without Chrom as the Male lead, I actually have a very narrow set of personalities I can effectively use for romance at the moment, so it's my own incompetence as for why we haven't gotten male Robin romance.

One (well, two) last thing. Erm… how to put this… you said something in your first review that I _hope_ I'm misunderstanding. I _assume_ I'm misunderstanding, because it sounds horribly discriminatory. In that first paragraph you basically say "I can't respect F!Robin when she looks sexy". I hope I don't have to point out how that sounds like slut shaming, right? I presume that was unintentional on your part and you meant something like "It's annoying how you present women as sexual objects all the time" (which is fair enough) and it was just poorly phrased.

I think that covers everything. Nice hearing from you! Even if I disagree with half of what you said, I appreciate you sharing your opinion in a respectful manner.


	68. Robin of the Infinite Cycle

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **Minor: Dark Flier, Immortal, Boxer (Pugilist), Exploitive, Swordmaster, Angry Cinnamon Roll, Tripping, Perpetual Cheer, Chef, Blacksmith, Pegasus Knight, Teacher, Librarian, Masochist, Literal-Minded, Authoritative, Phobia, Thicc, Tsundere, Damsel in Distress, Gangrel's Child, Child, Communist, Bomber, Bear Cavalry, Flying, ADHD, Super Strength, Patriotic, Scottish, Sassy, One Liner, Seamstress, Shephard, Speedy, Cool, Shy, Bookworm, Sweet, Kung Fu, Buff, Lazy, Wingless Flight, Blunt, Paranoid, Elf, Dwarf, Scottish, Melancholic, Punny, Dark Mage.**

 **Standard: Elemental, Deaf, Nurse/Medic, Valmese Tactician, Medusa, Gift from Validar + evil to good, Mimic, Emotionless, Crippling Overspecialization (Idiot Savant), Coward, ESP, POW, PTSD, Magician, Mute, Handicapped, Secret Helper, Morpher, Dreamwalker, Twins, Regenerating, Animal Whisperer, Naga/Tiki Assistant, Deadly Touch, Mind Reader, Doppelganger, Arachne, D &D magic, Umbramancer, Dominatrix, Songstress, Kinky, Matchmaker, Androphobic, Illusionist, Attraction Aura, Ring Maker, Therapist, Teleporting, Crippled, Puppet, Broken, Hallucination, Depressed, Slave, Love Curse, Detective, Geokinetic, Trauma, Siren, Changeling.**

 **Unlikely: Chrom's child, Minotaur, Paladin, Werewolf, Future Soldier, Bounty Hunter, Weather control, Kleptomaniac, Druid, Steampunk, Shadow Familiar, Magic Augmentation, Lucky, Exile, Piper (Charmer), Gladiator, Witch Doctor, Centaur, Drunk, Demon, Punk, Harpy, Revenant, Luck Manipulation, Demon Summoner, Megalomaniac, Kitsune, King of Plegia, Mood Ring, Reverse Aging, Hammerspace, Prostitute, Demon Hunter, Cyborg, Deadlord, Rebellion, Einherjar, Trap, Yandere, Living Weapon, Size Shifter, Queen of Plegia, Gluttonous, Stretchy, Alchemist, Protoss, Spirit Manipulation, Invisible, Plegian Honor Guard, Mecha, Kryptonian, Creator, Orc, Memory Stealing Respawn, Racer, Khan, Misfortune, Vampire Hunter, Imaginary Actualization, Death, Resurrection, Force, Merchant, Background Music, Variable, Civilian, Natural Disaster, Mental Noise Projection, Hidden OP, Summoner, Cyclops, Teleporter, Cryokinetic, Genie, Judge, Intangibility, Fortune Teller, Serial Killer, Magic Fixit, Drakengard Restoration, Ying-Yang, Childhood Friend, Cyberpunk, Chrom's Mother, Obsessed, Berserker, Phase Shift, Gravity Manipulation, Hallucinating, Bladesoul, Zombie, Double Entendre, Shared Body/Two Souls, Cannibal, Violent, Waterbender, Casanova, Cupid, Undertaker, Master Thief, Guard, Faceless, Shadow, Age Control, Cradle Snatcher, Emo, Nun, Courier, Haunted Knight Armor, Egyptian, Sentient Object, Shit Lord, Court Wizard, Naga's sibling, Mad Queen, Artist, Predator, Cheshire Cat, Radio Host, Chimera, Wendigo, Witch, Symbiote, Hivemind, Hammerspace, Anna, Mother Nature, Psychopath, Stripper, Painting, Grima Parts, Knightmare, Super, Swimsuit, Bunny Outfit, One Punch, Idol, Chef, Rampage, Housewife, Determination, Vessel of Naga, Instant Expert, Time Travel, Hermit, Alternate Dimension 'Twin', Legendary, Resistance, Memory Regain, Umbra Witch, Naga, Aquatic, Hexblade Warlock, Dragon, Demon of Choice, Demon of Temptation, Affliction, Good Samaritan, Gallant, Rosannite Tactician, Leeroy, Dungeon, Apparition, Unwilling, Wildlife Commander, Consistent Kidnapee, Grenadier, Magic Creature, Alternating Mind Control, Sothis in the Mind, Exalt, Unicorn, Pegasus, Alicorn, Star Lord, Slenderman, Bird Laguz, Junk Dealer, Gate Guardian, Shaman, Ghostbuster, Exorcist, King, Soldier, Bird Wings, Failed Vessel, Of the Corn, Valentian, Harem, Genie, Car, Incubus, National personification.**

 **Robin of the Infinite Cycle, also Insane Robin as suggested by Guest.**

* * *

"Watch out Dear." Robin says. She pulls him out of the way of… nothing. Nothing flies past Chrom's face or through the area he was just occupying. No arrow, no dagger, no firebolt, nothing. Robin, however, raises her tome and sends a blast of lightning into the bushes despite that, and nods in satisfaction as if she succeeded in something.

Chrom will reluctantly admit he's getting used to this. "This" meaning Robin reacting to things that aren't there as well as calling him "Dear" or "Honey" or something similar.

No, they're _not_ married, or even in a relationship. They've known each other for all of two weeks. Robin is still quite a stranger to him. If she wasn't hyper-competent despite her hallucinations Chrom would probably have put her in a psych ward by now.

Chrom puts a hand on her shoulder. "There's nothing there Robin."

"Ah…" The lady blinks slowly. Her vibrant blue eyes focus on him for a second. "Of course. Sorry Dear."

"Chrom." He corrects.

"Sorry Chrom."

"What did you see?" Normally Chrom wouldn't really _care_ , but Mural has taken to recording all of Robin's various oddities and has thus requested that the Shepherds ask for explanations when something odd happens with Robin.

"There's always an archer." Robin murmurs. She points to the bush she obliterated. "There _should_ be an archer."

"Should be?"

"Yes." Robin nods. "There should be, but there wasn't."

" _Why_ should there be?"

"Because there always is."

"Why?"

"Because…" Robin says slowly. A frown crosses her face, and her palm curls into a fist. "Hmm… no… I can't say."

"What? Why not?"

"You shouldn't know." She says firmly. Robin sounds more certain about this than anything else, which is bizarre. "I can't say. Sorry De- Chrom."

"It's fine." No, _of course_ it's not fine! What does that even mean? What possible reason is there for Robin not telling him? Is that knowledge actually dangerous, or maybe Robin just _thinks_ it's dangerous as another one of her delusions? Both are distinct possibilities. He can't push more though. Trying to pry into Robin's reasons seldom works and has only agitated her in the past. So, despite that fact that this is very _not_ fine, he needs to act like it is. "Is there anything else that might come up that I should know about?"

"That you should know about? No, no, not that you can know." Robin mumbles. Her eyes move off him and back to the bushes; scanning, watching. One of her arms comes up and wraps around his shoulders. "Don't worry, I'll protect you Dear."

"Chrom."

"I'll protect you Chrom."

" _Still not reassuring…_ "

The two of them complete the patrol without further incident. Robin raises her hand a few more times against foes that aren't there, but refrains from shooting, possibly remembering her initial mistake. It's obvious she sees things, but she separates fiction from reality… barely.

###

"Lucy…"

"Mother!?"

"Young again…"

"Again? Mother, what are you talking about? I- You shouldn't know about me! Did one of the others tell you?"

"Not yet? I'm too early again then. Sorry my little Lucy."

"Too early? I had no plans to _ever_ tell you!" The princess insists. She glances down the hallways around them. "We can speak later Mother, for now we must protect Lady Emmeryn."

"Futile…"

"Paron?"

"No… no, you shouldn't know that. Don't worry Lucy, I'll deal with it." Robin murmurs. She walks off down a hallway, barely paying attention to the world around her. "It's always this way…"

" _What's wrong with Mother?_ " The princess worries. " _She was never like that in my world, not even near the end, and Father never mentioned anything about her being like this in the past. Is she Mother then? She looks like her, but she knows me already and she shouldn't._ "

The girl hears hoofbeats charging down the hall to her left, the opposite direction her Mother went, and readies her blade.

" _There is something wrong here. I need answers._ _Not now though. Later. I have a job to do now._ "

The worry gnaws at the back of her mind the entire fight.

###

It was different this time, again. There are always small changes. An extra archer here, a missing wyvern rider there. Slightly different conversations, sometimes different names, different appearances, but always the same _essence_. Even her own body tends to change. Blue hair, green hair, white hair, male, female, red eyes, brown eyes, light skin dark skin… she's been all of them at some point.

What was she originally? She was a _she_ , but she can't really remember beyond that. She remembers being taller the first time… no… was that the second? Or is that now? Now she's taller, right? Assuming Chrom is the same height as he usually is, yes she is.

"Mother?"

"Lucy…" Blue eyes? No, no, those aren't blue… purple? Green? She can't see clearly. "Are you blue?"

"Blue?"

"Your eyes."

"Y-Yes Mother, they are."

"Good… just like the first time…"

"The first time? What's that Mother?"

"It… I can't tell you."

"Right. Mother, I'm worried."

"I will protect you." She always wins. She always has before, and it won't stop now. She won't let it.

"I'm worried about _you_ Mother. You're acting oddly. Is something wrong?"

Wrong? Of course it's wrong. World after world after world… she isn't becoming a _new_ person, she's _replacing_ the rightful person. Whoever Robin was here, whoever she should have been, she's gone now. Instead, it's her. Again. "Maybe I am…"

"Mother? Talk to me, tell me what's wrong."

"I can't." She can't know. What would she think, if she knew? " _A madwoman replaced your mother, little one, she's dead. You have_ _me_ _instead._ "

"Mother, _please_ -"

"I can't Lucy. You _can't_ know."

"Mother." Firm voice, an ultimatum? "What is my name?"

"Lucy."

" _Full_ name."

"Lucina Lowell."

"Wrong."

Another discrepancy. A different name.

"Lucilla." Furrowed brow, suspicion, caution. She's been exposed. "Lucilla _Von_ Lowell."

"I see…"

"Who are you?"

"I am… Robin."

" _What_ Robin? Which one? You are not my mother."

"True… but I can't say more…"

"What did you do to my mother?"

"I can't- _won't-_ say more."

A hand on the hilt. Falchion. How different is this one? Does she have enough hate to strike Robin down? Maybe, but probably not. Robin won't allow it even if she does. She _will_ complete the cycle… it's all she can do.

"Morgan… is Morgan alright?"

"Mor _ganna_ is fine."

Morganna? Usually Morgan is male when Robin is female, and their name usually only changes to Marc if anything. Another change.

"Good… good…"

"What is your intent, imposter?" Lucilla asks. "Why are you here? Why _here_ , and not somewhere else."

"No choice. I have no control." Robin murmurs. "I intend to _win_."

"Win against who?"

"Cannot say…"

"Against Grima?"

"..."

"You already know." Lucilla says quietly. "But you won't say it."

The girl turns her back on Robin and walks away.

"Do what you will, imposter. Win against Grima. But know I won't forgive you for killing my mother."

###

"Anything Mural?"

"Perhaps." The mage says with a frown on her face. "I have a hypothesis, but it seems unlikely enough for me to not give it much weight. Two hypotheses actually."

"Tell me anyways." Chrom insists. He takes a seat across from her. "I'll take any explanations at this point."

"Based on the evidence so far…" Mural says reluctantly. "Robin is either hallucinating, just like others with similar mental illnesses, or… well, she is _still_ hallucinating, but with a _reason_. The things she's said hint at future knowledge. However, that future knowledge that is _inaccurate_. She consistently gets things wrong. She recognizes the general trends of events correctly, but the specifics seem to be different."

"So she's a prophet?"

"No. Remember the things she has said. She sees some things as variable that should not be so. The color of Sully's hair, for example. She consistently thinks it is red, or pink, or purple, but there is no _variance_ in such a thing Sully's hair is, and has always been, green. Yet Robin constantly thinks it is something else."

"So if she's not a prophet, what is she?"

"An outrealmer; and one who has been through several similar worlds before." Mural replies. "Or, at least, that is my hypothesis. It seems quite unlikely, but the facts line up so far."

Chrom leans back in his seat. It's a theory that beggars belief, but Chrom can see why that might be true. "But why would Robin bother doing that?"

"I don't know." Mural sighs. "And that is why this hypothesis is tentative. There are elements that simply do not line up."

"Even so, thank you for your continued investigation." Chrom murmurs.

"Of course Milord. This is deeply fascinating, and we may learn something about the larger universe from Robin. I would not pass up such an opportunity for anything."

###

Another cycle is imminent, Grima is going to rise within the next few months, and Robin is preparing for it. Once upon a time Grima was a threat, a danger. Now, Grima is a nuisance. _Everything_ is a nuisance. Robin has not fought a genuinely threatening foe in decades.

As it does every time, the thought crosses her mind that she could end the cycle. There has always been the option to allow Chrom to strike the final blow and put Grima to sleep for a thousand years.

" _It wouldn't be any different._ " She tells herself sometimes. " _I'll never live to see Grima's revival in this body anyhow, and maybe if I don't kill Gima, I won't revive again. I can live out a nice, peaceful life, and let this all end._ "

But she knows she won't. Of _course_ she won't. Leaving Gima to Chrom would condemn this world to an endless war one every thousand years. A war, she has no doubt, that Grima would eventually win.

At this point Robin has no doubt that she's insane. She has constant hallucinations, and has to many memories of the same thing happening with small variations, and can barely tell dream from reality, but she knows her goal. Her goal has always been to save others. Even if it means going through another cycle, taking over another Robin and condemning another Morgan and their sibling to live without their true parent, if it means she can save this world and countless other worlds, she'll do it. She's done it dozens of times before, and she'll do it again.

It's normal this time. Chrom tells her not to do it as he always does (except that one time where he was evil… that sucked), as do most of the other Shepherds. Even Morgan. _Morganna_. Even Morganna tells her not to, despite being furious at a time that she'd basically replaced her mother. Only Lucilla doesn't stop her. She has a sort of grim satisfaction on her face… or is that a memory? That's happened before, hasn't it?

Robin ignores them all, of course. She has to. They might value her life over the lives of millions of future people in this world, but she doesn't. When they stand tall on Grima's back, Robin charges on ahead while ignoring the cries of her allies. She's far too powerful for even elite Risen and Grimleal to scratch her.

Once upon a time this might have been a dramatic moment for her. Killing the Fell Dragon would have been accompanied by a ferocious battle cry, a speech, and a hard-fought battle with numerous near-deaths. That was a long time ago though, during her first few cycles. Now, Grima is a stepping stone to the next cycle.

With the roar of Risen around her and the cries of the Shepherds behind her, Robin run up to Grima and blasts her head off with a bolt of lightning.

###

"Chloe, we have to do _something_."

"What do you propose we do?"

"I-I dunno!"

Robin opens her eyes to two familiar faces. A blue, green, red haired man, woman, with a sword, lance, an axe… and a girl, a boy, a brother, a sister, with a staff, a tome, a bow, something…

"Her eyes don't seem to be focusing on us sis. Check her forehead, is she overheated?"

"Not that I can feel. Maybe she's injured. Let's carry her to Southtown. Fredericka, you can carry her on your horse, right?"

"Of course Milady."

"Don't worry friend." The man- woman? A woman, that's rare. Blue though… Robin likes blue… "You're safe with us. We'll get you taken care of as quickly as possible."

" _That's nice…_ " Robin thinks as she drifts to sleep. " _Here we go again…_ "

* * *

 **Experimental, as you probably guessed. Loosely inspired by Nier Automata.**

* * *

 **B1ackAshes** **:** Thanks for the kind words. I know I'll get to 100 just fine, it's just a matter of which ideas I'll actually complete along the way.

 **Dandaman5** **:** Minerva was a whole lot of fun. I wasn't expecting her to be fun at first, I've usually been of the opinion that Minerva as a part of Cherche's character is a detriment because Cherche's obsession with her is annoying, but no. Minvera was arguably _more_ fun than Cherche.

 **zerofire210** **:** Good? I mean, the point of Respawn Robin was that he was blatantly psychopathic, but sure. A little spark of good in everyone, right?

 **Tophermon** **:** It's unlikely we'll see Tiki again to be honest. I've planned to give every character I can think of a prominent role in at least one chapter, so there's very little space for a repeat. That said, the list of female characters I still need to use _is_ smaller than male character (because M!Robin doesn't have the same pairing pop up over and over like F!Robin), so there's a change. It's unlikely, but there's a chance.

 **LoveGlutton** **:** Glad you like it!

 **Hunter of Entities** **:** Is that a reference to the video game? I've never played it. You'll have to explain what exact quirk you want.

 **bauers374** **:** Yep, the first time we've seen Cherche in any prominent role. Same with Gerome. Honestly, Communist Robin probably isn't going to be used because of how minor a quirk it is, and also just because I favor other ideas over it. Sorry.

 **tslsmonkey :** Genie… yeah, that might be a difficult one. I don't see myself using it, but I'll put it on the list anyhow. I hope I can continue to please, at least until this compilation ends.


	69. Child Robin

**Disclaimer** **: I don't own Fire Emblem Awakening, all rights to the owners.**

 **Minor: Dark Flier, Immortal, Boxer (Pugilist), Exploitive, Swordmaster, Angry Cinnamon Roll, Tripping, Perpetual Cheer, Chef, Blacksmith, Pegasus Knight, Teacher, Librarian, Masochist, Literal-Minded, Authoritative, Phobia, Thicc, Tsundere, Damsel in Distress, Gangrel's Child, Communist, Bomber, Bear Cavalry, Flying, ADHD, Super Strength, Patriotic, Scottish, Sassy, One Liner, Seamstress, Shephard, Speedy, Cool, Shy, Bookworm, Sweet, Kung Fu, Buff, Lazy, Wingless Flight, Blunt, Paranoid, Elf, Dwarf, Scottish, Melancholic, Punny, Dark Mage.**

 **Standard: Elemental, Deaf, Nurse/Medic, Valmese Tactician, Medusa, Gift from Validar + Evil to Good, Mimic, Emotionless, Crippling Overspecialization (Idiot Savant), Coward, ESP, POW, PTSD, Magician, Mute, Handicapped, Secret Helper, Morpher, Dreamwalker, Twins, Regenerating, Animal Whisperer, Naga/Tiki Assistant, Deadly Touch, Mind Reader, Doppelganger, Arachne, D &D magic, Umbramancer, Dominatrix, Songstress, Kinky, Matchmaker, Androphobic, Illusionist, Attraction Aura, Ring Maker, Teleporting, Crippled, Puppet, Depressed, Slave, Love Curse, Detective, Geokinetic, Trauma, Siren, Changeling.**

 **Unlikely: Chrom's child, Minotaur, Paladin, Werewolf, Future Soldier, Bounty Hunter, Weather control, Kleptomaniac, Druid, Steampunk, Shadow Familiar, Magic Augmentation, Lucky, Exile, Piper (Charmer), Gladiator, Witch Doctor, Centaur, Drunk, Demon, Punk, Harpy, Revenant, Luck Manipulation, Demon Summoner, Megalomaniac, Kitsune, King of Plegia, Mood Ring, Reverse Aging, Hammerspace, Prostitute, Demon Hunter, Cyborg, Deadlord, Rebellion, Einherjar, Trap, Yandere, Living Weapon, Size Shifter, Queen of Plegia, Gluttonous, Stretchy, Alchemist, Protoss, Spirit Manipulation, Invisible, Plegian Honor Guard, Mecha, Kryptonian, Creator, Orc, Memory Stealing Respawn, Racer, Khan, Misfortune, Vampire Hunter, Imaginary Actualization, Death, Resurrection, Force, Merchant, Background Music, Variable, Civilian, Natural Disaster, Mental Noise Projection, Hidden OP, Summoner, Cyclops, Teleporter, Cryokinetic, Genie, Judge, Intangibility, Fortune Teller, Serial Killer, Magic Fixit, Drakengard Restoration, Ying-Yang, Childhood Friend, Cyberpunk, Chrom's Mother, Obsessed, Berserker, Phase Shift, Gravity Manipulation, Hallucinating, Bladesoul, Zombie, Double Entendre, Shared Body/Two Souls, Cannibal, Violent, Waterbender, Casanova, Cupid, Undertaker, Master Thief, Guard, Faceless, Shadow, Age Control, Cradle Snatcher, Emo, Nun, Courier, Haunted Knight Armor, Egyptian, Sentient Object, Shit Lord, Court Wizard, Naga's sibling, Mad Queen, Artist, Predator, Cheshire Cat, Radio Host, Chimera, Wendigo, Witch, Symbiote, Hivemind, Hammerspace, Anna, Mother Nature, Psychopath, Stripper, Painting, Grima Parts, Knightmare, Super, Swimsuit, Bunny Outfit, One Punch, Idol, Chef, Rampage, Housewife, Determination, Vessel of Naga, Instant Expert, Time Travel, Hermit, Alternate Dimension 'Twin', Legendary, Resistance, Memory Regain, Umbra Witch, Naga, Aquatic, Hexblade Warlock, Dragon, Demon of Choice, Demon of Temptation, Affliction, Good Samaritan, Gallant, Rosannite Tactician, Leeroy, Dungeon, Apparition, Unwilling, Wildlife Commander, Consistent Kidnapee, Grenadier, Magic Creature, Alternating Mind Control, Sothis in the Mind, Exalt, Unicorn, Pegasus, Alicorn, Star Lord, Slenderman, Bird Laguz, Junk Dealer, Gate Guardian, Shaman, Ghostbuster, Exorcist, King, Soldier, Bird Wings, Failed Vessel, Of the Corn, Valentian, Harem, Genie, Car, Incubus, National Personification, Gravity Magic, Kraken, Zora, Kirby.**

 **Child Robin as suggested by Fantasy Paradise, and also Broken Robin as suggested by Lobotimite.**

* * *

The bandit raid was dealt with by the time the Shepherds arrived, which was arguably a good thing, but there was still a price for it. The Shepherds hadn't arrived in time, of course there was going to be a price.

The woman somehow manages to look peaceful despite the giant gash across her chest. Her head rests on a well with a smile on her face. Her limp arm is still draped around the small form curled into her side. It's not difficult to tell that they're related. They're both pale, clearly plegian, and wear matching longcoats (albeit the child's is much smaller), and have white hair.

The village is eerily silent as the Shepherds march in. Some of the villagers glare accusingly, condemning them for not arriving sooner and not preventing this.

The woman is dead. She doesn't move; her chest doesn't rise as she takes breaths, and when Lissa checks her neck there's no pulse. She's held in her sitting position only by the child, a young boy who doesn't look older than five, huddled against her.

Hesitantly, Chrom kneels down with Lissa in front of the boy. He shares a look, and she gives a distressed shrug. She doesn't know what to say or do anymore than he does.

Reaching out, Chrom touches the boy's shoulder. Bleary and tear-filled brown eyes soon look back at him, and Chrom feels worse than ever. Still, he forces himself to speak. "Hello there, I'm Chrom."

"And I'm Lissa." His sister adds softly. "Who are you?"

The boy looks at them mutely as tears run down his face. His hands have a death-grip on the woman's coat. Chrom doesn't fancy trying to pry him away.

"Do you have a name?" Lissa prompts again. When the boy still doesn't respond, Lissa tries another track. "Is this your mother?"

The boy nods. It's barely noticeable, just a slight incline of the head, but it's progress.

"She was very brave, wasn't she?" Lissa continues. "She defeated the bandits, right?"

The boy nods again.

This is a lot harder than Lissa was expecting. The boy isn't speaking, how is she supposed to break the news that his mother is dead if he doesn't even ask? She can't just blurt it out… but she has to tell him, right? "Look, umm… your mother… is gone."

The boy blinks uncomprehendingly at her. His already tight grip on his mother's cloak tightens even further, turning his knuckles white, and he turns to look at his mother's corpse. The implication, clearly, is that his mother is right here.

"Gone is the wrong word…" Lissa mutters. She wrings her hands. "She, erm, she… she's dead."

She hates how blunt that is, but she has to be. The boy is just that: a boy, a child. She has to be clear with him.

The boy sways in place. "Mother doesn't die… she makes people dead…"

Beside them Chrom grimaces. This isn't going well. It was _never_ going to go well, but this is worse than expected. Chrom was expecting crying or panic or _something_ , but his blank-faced tension is somehow even worse.

"Normally yes… but even the best warrior can fall." Chrom murmurs. He also worries about a child saying that his mother makes people dead. That's not normal in his experience. "She's gone little one."

The boy doesn't respond. His eyes stare at Chrom, or more accurately they stare past him, not really seeing anything. At this point Lissa manages to gently pry the boy's fingers off his mother's cloak and take him into her arms.

There remains the question of what to do with the body. Do they just bury her here? The woman doesn't look local, she might have family elsewhere, but unless there's some identification or a letter on her…

Chrom silently waves Frederick over and whispers for him to search the body. Lissa seems to understand the plan and makes a point of taking the boy _away_ from the scene.

Frederick's search produces a few hundred gold (that's a fairly sizable amount!), a steel sword, a thoron tome, a book on the basics of strategy and tactics, rations, and a few maps, but no identification.

They have a brief debate over what to do with her cloak. It looks expensive, and while usually a person is buried with the clothes they were wearing the cloak seems unique enough that Chrom suggests they keep it for the boy. Frederick agrees, and they gingerly strip off the bloodstained garment. It has a cut across the front, but nothing severe enough that it can't be repaired.

"So, uh…" Vaike coughs when Chrom and Frederick return with the woman's things. "Do we have a kid now?"

Chrom gazes at the child, who is now sitting against a log with Lissa on one side and Sumia on the other. They seem to be talking to him, but he isn't reacting. "I suppose we do..."

It almost seems disrespectful with how rushed and basic the funeral is considering what the woman did for the village and that her son is watching, but there's only so much that can be done with the resources and time available. They bury her in a grave marked by her sword, reminiscent of a wartime burial or the Feroxi tradition.

" _A warrior's burial_." Chrom thinks. " _Simple, practical, the best we can give on short notice._ "

That doesn't make him feel any better about it. Especially when they have to physically pick up the boy to get him to leave the gravesite.

###

It takes two week before they manage to learn the boy's name (Robin). It takes almost as long to get him to eat more than a spoonful of food every day. Robin was already small and somewhat skinny when they found him, but his near inactivity and refusal to eat or drink has exacerbated those features.

There is no safe place to hand off Robin. With the constant raids on Ylissian villages, they can't in good conscience leave him in danger like that. Sure, staying with the Shepherds isn't the safest thing either, but the Shepherds at least are highly trained warriors compared to average village militia.

Simply due to the fact that all the other Shepherds are often busy fighting it falls to _Emmet_ of all people to watch over Robin. The dry, hostile quartermaster rightfully doesn't strike any of them as being the person who should be taking care of a child, but they don't really have much of a choice. Emmet is the only Shepherd that doesn't go into combat when battle arises, and since he doesn't really leave the supply tent all that often it's easy for him to keep an eye on Robin who also rarely moves.

"Your move."

Emmet has, however, found something he can convince Robin to do. They found a board game among his mother's possessions in the inn they were staying in: a complicated strategy game by the name of War of Worlds. Robin apparently knows how to play, and he _will_ play if it's presented to him. He plays robotically, but at the very least he's doing _something_.

Robin takes a long time to make his moves, so Emmet walks around doing other tasks in between moves. He counts the swords and identifies which ones need repairs, then goes back to make another move, then talleys how many arrows they have, and so on.

So far Emmet has lost every single round. Despite being young Robin is undoubtedly a prodigy at the game. He rarely loses so much as a single unit.

Robin doesn't complain no matter how Emmet sets up the game. Even if he forces Robin to have a certain setup or uses a custom map Robin doesn't complain and plays the game out…

...and Emmet is going to take advantage of it. They have a tactical genius in their midst, why not use their skills? Is he exploiting a traumatized child? Yes. Will it save innumerable lives to do so? Also yes. Emmet isn't really concerned with the morality of it. As far as he's concerned he's not harming the kid, just making use of something they would be doing anyways.

Their War of Worlds game is already a daily occurence, so Emmet starts customizing the scenarios more. He pays attention to whatever battle Chrom, Frederick, and Virion are discussing, then crafts the daily game to be a mirror of that. He puts Robin in charge of the Shepherds (or as close as he can represent the Shepherds in the game) and he plays the enemies. It's not perfect of course, Emmet is well aware his own tactical skills are nonexistent and therefore the situations aren't perfect representations of what actually happens, but Robin's solutions could still be useful.

After doing this a few times, Emmet invites Virion to play as Robin's opponent for the next game. The archer instantly realizes what the map is mimicking (their next projected fight past the Plegian border) and plays the game with great interest.

Robin smokes him effortlessly, but Virion is nodding to himself by the end.

"I see, we must deal with the dark mages first, and use our own in the sands where infantry will be slow to reach them." Virion mutters. "That _is_ a good plan…"

And that's how Robin becomes an unofficial tactician of the Shepherds.

###

Emmet wakes up when it's still dark to the sound of rustling fabric. On instinct he grabs his levin sword from its place beside his head and pushes magic down the blade, lighting it up in a crackle of electricity so he can see around him.

The rustling fabric is, of course, just Robin. The little boy stays in the same tent as the quartermaster, seeing as the man is responsible for taking care of him.

The crackling electricity from the sword reveals that the boy has crawled out of his sleeping bag and over to his pack of things. He's dragged out his mother's coat, which he wears everyday anyhow despite it being far to big for him.

Robin doesn't react to the sudden light or the crackling of electricity. He finishes taking out the coat, drags it to his sleeping bag, and cuddles into it as he goes back to sleep.

Sighing, Emmet unlights is sword and does the same. This isn't too unusual by Robin's standards. He grabs his mother's things at arbitrary times fairly frequently. No one has been successful in getting the boy to explain _why_ , so Robin's thoughts remain a mystery.

It's a shame really. The Shepherds can't really help him if he doesn't talk. It's not like the quartermaster hasn't tried, he has, but Robin remains silent as ever.

There has to be something that can be done…

###

"Robin." Emmet says after putting away their daily game. Robin stares listlessly at the table, fiddling with his mother's thoron tome in his hands. "That was your mother's, right?"

A rhetorical question, just to see if Robin will respond. The boy nods, which is a promising sign.

"Was she good with it?" Another rhetorical question, at least when directed towards a child. Of course he's going to think his mother was good with it. Predictably, Robin nods again. "She was a tactician, right?"

Another nod. At least he's responding.

"What was she like?" Emmet questions softly. He's asking anything that might get the boy to talk. Anything regarding his mother he tends to react to in some capacity, so Emmet is banking on that.

For a moment it seems like Robin won't say anything, and this will be another disappointing failure in trying to get him to open up. By luck, or maybe just because Emmet chose the subject matter well, Robin _does_ respond.

"She was strong…" Robin murmurs. "The best…"

"How?"

"She was smart. She could beat anyone. She beat Father." Robin whispers.

" _Well, that's an ominous tidbit_." Emmet notes. "Beat?"

"Won." Robin mutters. His grip tightens on the tome. "He was bad."

It's not really Emmet's place to decide whether Robin's mother was in the right or not, so he doesn't bother. "She sounds incredible."

Robin nods once more.

"Can you tell me more? What do you remember about her?"

Robin looks up at him blankly, then quietly asks "why…?"

Fair enough question. Robin has no reason to assume he actually cares. Emmet hates to think of it in terms of "bullshitting a reason", but that is essentially what he's doing. It's not that he doesn't care, it's that he doesn't have a reason for asking beyond that he cares. "I don't know my own parents, so I'm curious about yours." Emmet offers. "My last name, Tealeaf? That's the last name for all orphaned or unwanted children in the Central dukedom. It means I have no parents that cared to claim me."

That's all true, minus the part about it being the reason he's curious. He's curious out of concern and a want to get the boy to talk. Emmet has long since come to terms with his own lack of parents.

"So, not having parents of my own, I want to know about yours."

Emmet waits for the response. He keeps his expression as neutral as possible, trying not to betray his anxiety. If this doesn't work, he doesn't know what will. He's not cut out for this…

So it's somewhat of a miracle to him that Robin slowly, quietly, starts recounting what he remembers.

* * *

 **I could go on, but I think this encompasses the idea the best. I didn't come into this expecting Emmet to be included _at all_ , but he seemed to fit.**

* * *

 **B1ackAshes** **:** Unnerving was what I was going for. I'm happy it worked.

 **bauers374** **:** No, that's not a misspelling, but it's not really a different character either. The whole point is that things are different every cycle. Not just Robin, but other characters too. Sometimes they have a different gender, a different hair color, _a different name_.

It would work as a finale, wouldn't it? I had never considered that. Good point.

 **bwburke94** **:** Are you talking about a specific story? In the general sense, yes, this is an infinite loop.

 **Darkness is complete** **:** Noted.

 **Roasted Butter** **:** No, there's no strictly aquatic Robin on the list. All of your ideas are noted.

 **Guest** **:** There are so many things I could consider making a story out of, but I don't have time for all of them. If you want something similar, the idea for this chapter in specific came from "25 Lives" by StarrNight. You can find it in my favourite stories tab if you want.

 **RINGDONGDANG** **:** We'll see.

 **DarkyTime** **:** Alas, the chapters can only be so long before they're unsuited to be one-shots (Chained Lady excluded of course). I see the potential there though.

 **TheForgottenSpartan :** Fair enough, glad you liked it.


End file.
